Web Wednesdays – June Week One

Welcome to AdFeeder’s web Wednesdays, your weekly dose of the latest news and stories that have caught our eye. From technology news to the latest vehicle releases and everything in between, we aim to bring you a quick run down of what you need to know each week.

Fresh from a scorching bank holiday weekend, we bring you all the latest things from the ever-changing world of tech, cars and motorsport!

 

Cazoo launches its own car subscription service

 

There are some trends in the car world that come and go. Some we love, some we can’t wait to get rid of. Fake Exhaust tips being one that we wish every brand would stop doing. 

After seeing tremendous success over the last 18 months, Cazoo has expanded its fleet of delivery transporters to over 180 and opened 17 collection centres across the UK, and now have their sights firmly set on the world of Subscription services. 

Its research found that almost 30% of UK consumers are interested in subscribing to a car rather than purchasing it outright or financing it.

21% of those surveyed now have more monthly subscriptions than before the pandemic started with 44% of respondents selecting subscription services for convenience, 25% stating that it saves them money and 19% highlighting that it helps with budget planning.

 It now offers a range of new cars available for between 6 and 24 months, with ordering entirely online and delivery in as little as 72 hours. At the end of the contract period, the customer can return the car, switch it for another one or keep it on a rolling monthly contract. What’s more, it also includes insurance, servicing, road tax and maintenance!

This is an area we will be keeping a very close eye on as the year progresses, as if this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s taught us to ensure our money can go as far as possible. Considering just how many products and services that can be ordered via subscription now, it makes complete sense that your next car could come that way too.

 

Say hello to an electric Porsche 911

 

The word ‘restomod’ is used an awful lot lately. If you’re in the market for one, you’ve got some seriously hard decisions heading your way. From Mercedes to Porsche, Land Rover to Ford, there really is a restomod for any genre, where some of the greatest cars ever made are enhanced, exaggerated and reimagined, often budget no-object. 

First, let’s start with a definition: Restoration refers to bringing back a classic car to its former glory by only using all (or mostly) original factory parts. Restomodding is a process where you perform a restoration on a classic vehicle, but incorporating modern day technology to improve the performance.

But what happens when you take one of the most recognisable and sought after sports car ever made, and strap a silent electric engine to it? Well, this. The company is called Everrati, a British firm set up in 2019 to make electric-powered “restomods” out of classic machinery.

The Oxfordshire-based company’s newest project, called Signature, is a wide-body 911 of the 964 generation. With a motor boasting 493PS (373kW) – twice the power of a 964 original, performance is most certainly up. Everrati claims 0-62mph in under 4.0 seconds which makes it a tad quicker than even a modern-day 911!

According to Everrati founder and chief executive Justin Lunny, the conversion retains the 911’s soul, and despite not having that iconic flat-six engine at the rear, makes for a seriously impressive drive. He also has several suggestions for what to do with the original engine as it’s now a little redundant, one of which is to adapt it into a coffee table for your living room!

 

 

Birmingham introduces new clean air zone, with some heavy charges

 

By now, we’ve all heard about the ever-increasing thumb that’s pressing down on the regular combustion engine in busy cities around the UK, but Birmingham has become the second city in the UK to launch a Clean Air Zone (CAZ), following Bath. 

The Class D zone affects older cars, as well as buses and vans, that produce more toxic emissions. Unlike in Bath, which restricts commercial vehicles only, drivers of non-conforming cars will have to pay a fee to enter Birmingham’s city centre. This makes the Birmingham zone the first CAZ in the UK to apply restrictions to regular passenger cars.

The system went live yesterday, but the council says it will offer a ‘soft launch’ with drivers not required to pay the fees until Monday 14 June. While Birmingham is stricter on passenger cars than Bath, the fees it charges drivers of non-compliant vehicles to enter the CAZ are lower. HGVs, buses and coaches must pay £50 a day to use the CAZ, half the fee charged for comparable vehicles in Bath.

In addition, taxis must pay £8 a day to use the zone, the same fee incurred by drivers of non-conforming regular passenger cars. The AA has estimated that around 100,000 cars in Birmingham will be affected by the zone.

 

Team BRIT put Youtubers through their paces

 

There’s nothing we like more than seeing the world of automotive and technology come together. In days gone by, celebrities known near enough anywhere in the world were who the kids looked up to, aspiring to be the next Ronaldo or Beckham, but thanks to the world of social media and content creation, there are now a wealth of creators who have gained an incredible following via Youtube by sharing their passion and hobbies online. 

A prime example of this ‘small-town’ hero is Jimmy Broadbent, a 29 year old who spent much of his Youtube career racing virtually whilst in a shed at the end of his mum’s garden. Sharing his love of motorsport and gaming has led to Jimmy gaining worldwide fame, and is now swapping the screen for the real thing. We are delighted to sponsor Andy Tucker and Team BRIT, who welcomed Jimmy along to the iconic Top Gear Test Track with some other famous faces in tow to compete in a number of laps both on track and on a virtual sim rig.

It was also a chance for Andy and the rest of the Team BRIT drivers to stretch the legs of their race-ready Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4 car, which has impressed fans and followers in its first few Brit Car Endurance races. We cannot wait to see more content such as this, bringing to worlds together to create content that is both entertaining and incredibly inspiring. Youtube has become a platform for users to share their experiences, and in doing so can inspire the next generation of racing enthusiasts!

Jimmy is set to share out some content from the day very soon, but in the meantime check out his channel here!

 

 

Elliot NewtonWeb Wednesdays – June Week One