Cars and Driving

See also Roads, International Plates.

Note that this page also covers motorcycles (and other types of motorised road vehicles).

History

Any legislation mentioned in the following table is (or was) applicable in the UK.

The first Locomotive Act introduces a speed limit of 10 mph for powered passenger vehicles ("light locomotives")		1861
The second Locomotive Act reduces the speed limit to 4 mph in the country and 2 mph in towns, and requires no fewer than three individuals to operate any non–animal–powered locomotive – one of whom must walk "not less than 60 yards" ahead of the vehicle, waving a red flag and "[warning] the riders and drivers of horses of the approach of such locomotives"		1865
Licensing Act makes it an offence to be drunk while in charge of carriages, horses, cattle and steam engines		1872
The third Locomotive Act reduces the minimum distance between the escort (red flag man) and the vehicle to 20 yards		1878
The Locomotives on Highways Act raises the speed limit to 14 mph and removes the need for an escort; the first London to Brighton Run is held in celebration		1896
The RAC was founded in		1897
The Motor Cars Act introduces vehicle registration and driving licences, and raises the speed limit to 20 mph		1903
Registration numbers come into force on UK cars		1904
The London to Brighton Run is for Veteran cars – made before		1905
The AA was founded in		1905
Ford Model T introduced		1908
The last Ford Model T (of either 15 million or 16.5 million, according to Wikipedia) is produced		1927
Vintage cars are those made between (inclusive range)		1919 and 1930
The first Road Traffic Act abolishes the speed limit for cars and motor cycles, because (according to Hansard) "the existing speed limit was so universally disobeyed that its maintenance brought the law into contempt"; but the same act introduces a 30 mph speed limit for buses, coaches and most HGVs		1930
Another Road Traffic Act introduces a 30 mph speed limit in built–up areas (as defined by the presence of street lighting), and mandates driving tests for new drivers – all to take effect in the following year		1934
Volkswagen Beetle launched		1938
Speed limit in built–up areas reduced to 20 mph at night, in an attempt to halt an increase in the number of road casualties occurring during the World War II blackouts		1940
Morris Minor launched		1948
Zebra crossings incorporated into law in the UK (after a 2–year experiment)		1951
The Austin Mini is launched, with a price of £497		18 August 1959
MOT Test introduced (for vehicles over 10 years old)		1960
British registration numbers first suffixed by a letter		1963
National 70 mph speed limit introduced (as a temporary measure)		1965
70 mph speed limit made permanent		1967
Road Safety Act introduces the UK's first maximum legal blood alcohol (drink driving) limit (80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood), and introduces the breathalyser		1967
New cars to have front seat belts fitted (UK) – applied to cars made from 1965 on		1968 (31 Dec)

During the 1973 oil crisis, a blanket speed limit of 50 mph was imposed. The limit was restored to 70 mph in 1974 (for motorways in March, and for all other roads in May).

The reprieve didn't last long however, and in December 1974 the national speed limits were (temporarily) reduced to 50 mph for single–carriageway roads and 60 mph on dual carriageways. Motorway speed limits were left unchanged at 70 mph.

In 1977, the speed limit for single carriageways was increased to 60 mph and dual carriageways were brought into line with motorways at 70 mph.

National speed limits (60 mph for single carriageways, and 70 mph for dual carriageways and motorways) made permanent		1978
Wearing of seat belts made compulsory (in front seats) in the UK		1983
Wearing of seat belts by adult rear seat passengers made compulsory in the UK		1991
Driving theory test introduced		1996
Current format of vehicle registration numbers introduced		2001 (1 Sep)

Since 2015, you don't need to pay Vehicle Excise Duty for cars that are more than

40 years old

Questions about veteran and vintage cars are fair enough; but beware the term "classic car" – there are lots of contradictory definitions. HM Revenue & Customs, for taxation purposes, defines a Classic Car as one that's over 15 years old and worth more than £15,000 (2008 – still the same in 2017).

The Highway Code

At this point I obviously should point out that the Highway Code applies to all road users, not just car drivers.

Speed Limits

It should go without saying that all motorised vehicles, including motorcycles, are restricted to 30 mph in built–up areas. The following table shows the limits for the various types of vehicle on other roads.

		Single	Dual	Motorways
Cars, motorcycles, car–derived vans (see Notes 1 and 2) and dual–purpose vehicles (see Note 3)		60	70	70
Ditto, towing a caravan or trailer		50	60	60
Motorhomes or motor caravans	Up to 3.05 tonnes (see Note 4)	60	70	70
	Over 3.05 tonnes (see Note 4)	50	60	70
Buses, coaches and minibuses	Up to 12 metres	50	60	70
	Over 12 metres	50	60	60
Goods vehicles	Up to 7.5 tonnes (see Notes 2, 4 and 5)	50	60	70
	Over 7.5 tonnes (see Notes 4 and 6)	50	60	60

This is impossibly complicated, even though there are only three different numbers involved, but I've shown it if only to demonstrate to potential question setters how ludicrous it is to ask about such things.

As guidance for the poor beleaguered contestant, I offer the following:

•		Every driver should know that the speed limit for a normal car is 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. This also applies to motorcycles, and to motor homes and motor caravans up to 3.05 tonnes.
•		For everything else, including an ordinary vehicle towing a caravan or trailer, the speed limit is 50 mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways (but not necessarily on motorways).
•		All vehicles towing caravans or trailers, buses and coaches over 12 metres, and goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, are restricted to 60 mph on motorways.

Notes:

1		A car–derived van is one based on a car such as a Ford Focus or a Vauxhall Corsa. The registration document (log book) will tell you if your van is car–derived or not.
2		A Ford Transit (or similar) counts as a goods vehicle.
3		A dual–purpose vehicle is one designed to carry either goods or passengers (or both).
4		For motor homes and motor caravans, the 3.05 tonne limit is unladen weight; for goods vehicles, the 7.5 tonne limit is maximum laden weight.
5		Small goods vehicles (up to 7.5 tonnes) are restricted to 60 mph on motorways if they're articulated or if they're towing a trailer.
6		In Scotland, the speed limit for goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes on single–carriageway roads is 40 mph. (And if you've ever driven on a single–carriageway road in Scotland, outside a built–up area, you'll know why.)

Stopping Distances

Like speed limits, this is never a popular subject in quizzes – who carries this information around in their head? But if you want to be prepared, here they are.

Formula: the thinking distance in feet is the same as the speed in miles per hour. To work out the braking distance (in feet): divide the speed in miles per hour by 10, square the result, and multiply by 5. For example: 60 divided by 10 is 6; 6 squared is 36; 36 times 5 is 180. A metre is just over three feet; a car length is 4m or 13 ft.

Speed	Thinking distance	Braking distance	Stopping distance	Car lengths
20 mph	6m (20 ft)	6m (20 ft)	12m (40 ft)	3
30 mph	9m (30ft)	14m (45 ft)	23m (75 ft)	6
40 mph	12m (40 ft)	24m (80 ft)	36m (120 ft)	9
50mph	15m (50 ft)	38m (125 ft)	53m (175 ft)	13
60 mph	18m (60 ft)	55m (180ft)	73m (240 ft)	18
70 mph	21m (70ft)	75m (250 ft)	96m (315ft)	24

Highway Code – Other

The 'first rule of the road' in Britain			Keep to the left
Minimum capacity of motorcycles allowed on British motorways			50cc
Age at which UK drivers must renew their driving licences – also every three years subsequently – self–certifying their fitness to drive each time			70
Up to the age of 70, 'photo' driving licences must be renewed every			10 years
After the age of 70, 'photo' driving licences must be renewed every			3 years
The Highway Code forbids sounding your horn in a built–up area between			23:30 and 07:00
UK minimum legal tread depth			1.6 mm
Background colour of UK road signs for tourist attractions			Brown
On the motorway, red cats eyes mark			The near side
Signs telling you what you can't do (e.g. No Entry): shape and colour			Circular, red border
Signs telling you something you must do (e.g. keep left): shape and colour			Circular, blue
Warning sign (e.g. beware animals on road)			Triangular
The only UK road sign that's an inverted triangle (pointing down) means			Give Way
The UK's only octagonal road sign means (and reads)			Stop

Yellow marks on the kerb prohibit		Loading and unloading
A car with a green flashing light on top means		Doctor on emergency call

Parking (and loading) restriction signs – which are actually the most numerous regulatory signs – are oblong.

Traffic light sequence (UK):

Red

Red and amber

Green

Amber

Red

Documents that a driver (in the UK) must be able to produce if requested by police:

	Driving licence
	Insurance certificate (third party is the legal requirement)
	MOT test certificate (if applicable)

Tax discs have not been required since October 2014.

The four types of traffic–light–controlled crossings described in the Highway Code are:

The standard, traditional type of 'pedestrian light–controlled' crossing (with the crossing signal on the opposite side of the road)		Pelican
One that senses when pedestrians have crossed, or walked away (crossing signal on the same side of the road); phasing out the above from 2016		Puffin
One that allows bicycles to be ridden across, as well as pedestrians to walk across		Toucan
One that allows horses to be ridden across, as well as pedestrians to walk across		Pegasus

Since 2002, the theory part of the UK driving test has consisted of fifty multiple choice questions, and fourteen 60–second video clips designed to test

Hazard perception

Tyres

Firestone tyres are made in		USA
Bridgestone tyres are made in		Japan
Continental tyres are made in		Germany

Abbreviations

FSH (in a second–hand car advert)		Full Service History
ABS		Anti–lock Braking System
OHC		OverHead Camshaft

Engineering

Forces valves to open and close		Camshaft
(Previously) used to mix petrol and air, to provide a combustible mixture; progressively replaced, mainly in the late 1980s and early 90s, by fuel injection systems		Carburettor
Removes pollutants from exhausts		Catalytic converter
Converts the up and down motion of the pistons to rotary, to drive the wheels		Crankshaft
Allows the two wheels on one axle to turn at different speeds when cornering		Differential
Passes electricity from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in sequence		Distributor
The selector fork is found in the		Gearbox
Connects the piston to the connecting rod		Gudgeon pin
Using brake and accelerator simultaneously with the same foot		Heel & toe (toe & heel)
Alternative name for the four–stroke cycle (after its German inventor)		Otto cycle
Component of the suspension system that "provides lateral location of the axle" – named after the French company that introduced it – also known as the track bar		Panhard rod
Dampens the recoil of the road springs		Shock absorber
Space at the bottom of the engine, used for collecting oil		Sump
"Spy in the cab" that measures the hours and speed of a lorry or bus driver		Tachograph
Connects the crankshaft to the camshaft		Timing belt
Connects the front wheels, ensuring they both turn at the same angle		Track rod
Distance between front and rear axles		Wheelbase
Invented by Newcastle United fan Gladstone Adams as a result of his experience on a journey to watch the FA Cup final in 1908 (Newcastle lost 1–3 to Wolves)		Windscreen wiper

Makes

Performance division of Fiat – originally founded in 1949 (now part of Stellantis): logo includes a shield with a stylised scorpion		Abarth (AB–art)
Badge features a red cross on a neutral background, and a person being swallowed by a giant snake, serpent or dragon (or a normal–sized snake or dragon swallowing a tiny person)		Alfa Romeo
Founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, with original premises in Kensington; moved to Feltham, Middlesex in 1926; bought in 1947 by David Brown Ltd, a Huddersfield–based manufacturer of gears and machine tools – subsequently using the initials DB for many of its models; opened new factories at Bloxham, Oxfordshire in 1994, and Gaydon, Warwickshire in 2003; bought by Ford in 1994, then by a consortium of private investors in 2007, then (partly) by an Italian private equity fund in 2012; floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2018, after making a profit in 2017 for the first time in several years		Aston Martin
Founded in 1909 by August Horsch, who'd already set up one motor company with his own name but had been forced out of it; uses the Latin translation of that name (meaning "hark" or "listen") – said to have been suggested by the young son of an associate; symbol is four linked circles; bought by Volkswagen in 1966		Audi
Founded in 1919 in Cricklewood, Middlesex; bought by Rolls Royce in 1931; moved to Crewe, Cheshire, in 1938 (site acquired by the government to support wartime manufacturing – made more than 25,000 "Merlin" aircraft engines during the war); bought by Volkswagen in 1998		Bentley
Austin, Morris, Austin Healey, MG, Riley, Wolseley: main marques of		BMC (British Leyland)
Bought Rolls Royce Motors in 1998		BMW
Badge represents a spinning propeller
Founded in Alsace in 1909; enjoyed great success in Grand Prix racing between the wars; foundered following the death of its Italian–born founder in 1947, but revived in 1987 to produce high–performance sports cars; acquired by Volkswagen in 1998; produced the Veyron supercar, 2005–15; announced the Chiron in 2016 as the successor to the Veyron		Bugatti
Founded in 1902 by engineer and inventor Henry Leland, and named after the French explorer who founded Detroit in 1701, after Henry Ford left the company that bore his name (going on to found the present Ford Motor Company in 1903); still headquartered in Detroit		Cadillac
FCA: the world's seventh–biggest car manufacturer – owns marques including Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lancia and Maserati; formed in 2014 when Fiat acquired (American manufacturer)		Chrysler
Founded in 1966, takes its name from the historic region that constitutes much of present–day Romania; bought by Renault in 1999; Romania's top company by revenue, and largest exporter		Dacia
Korean manufacturer bought by General Motors 2001; rebranded as Chevrolet 2005		Daewoo
Produced the first successful four–wheeled petrol–driven motor car, and the first commercially available British motor car (1896)		Daimler
US–based company that manufactured the DMC–12 sports car, 1981–2, in the village of Dunmurry (just outside Belfast)		DeLorean
American company, founded in Detroit in 1900: all its cars and trucks had a hood (bonnet) ornament in the shape of a ram, from 1932 to 1954; introduced the Ram pickup truck in 1981, and produced it until 2010, when it became a brand in its own right		Dodge
Brand introduced by Ford in 1957 (for the 1958 model year) as "the car of the future": named after the only son of Henry Ford, who was President of the company from 1919 until his death in 1943; quietly discontinued after two years, being considered overhyped, unattractive, and of low quality; launched during a recession, the name would become a byword for commercial failure		Edsel
Company established in Redditch, Worcestershire in 1851: began making bicycles in 1886, but most famous for its motorcycles – including the Bullet (the longest–lived motorcycle design in history), the Crusader and the Interceptor		(Royal) Enfield
Based in Maranello, near Modena		Ferrari
Founded in Detroit in 1903: opened its first manufacturing plant outside the USA in Trafford Park, Manchester, in 1911		Ford
Likes to call itself "the Blue Oval" (after its emblem); owned Aston Martin 1992–2007, Jaguar 1989–2008 (see Tata)
Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac: main US marques of		General Motors
Motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Michigan; models include Fat Boy, Softail, Sportster, Electra Glide		Harley Davidson
The Goldwing motor cycle is manufactured by		Honda
South Korea's biggest car manufacturer: name means "modernity"		Hyundai
Genesis – officially announced as a stand–alone marque in 2015 – is the luxury vehicles division of
Manufacturer of industrial vehicles, founded in Turin in 1975: models include the EuroCargo, EuroTech, EuroTrakker and EuroStar		Iveco
Formed in Blackpool, in 1922, by William Lyons and William Walmsley as the Swallow Sidecar Co. (a 1935 model was called the SS Jaguar); moved to Coventry in 1928; adopted its current name in 1945 (because of the Nazi associations of the SS name); bought by Ford in 1989, Tata in 2008		Jaguar
Manufacturer of sports cars and commercial vehicles, founded in 1922 as W J Smith & Sons Limited; based in West Bromwich, Staffordshire; famous models included the Interceptor (1966–76); dissolved in 2011		Jensen
South Korea's second largest car manufacturer (after Hyundai), and the first to offer a seven–year warranty on all cars sold in Europe		Kia
Luxury car manufacturer, founded in 1906 in Staines, Surrey, by Wilbur Gunn, an American former opera singer of Scottish ancestry; named after a beauty spot (creek) near his home town of Springfield, Ohio; bought by Aston Martin in 1947		Lagonda
Switched from making farm machinery to ultra–desirable cars, in 1963; badge depicts a raging bull, in recognition of the founder's interest in bullfighting; the majority of its models have names that are related to bullfighting		Lamborghini
Founded in 1917 by Henry Leland and his son Wilfred; named after the first Presidantial candidate that Leland Sr. had voted for; bought by Ford in 1922, and has been a luxury Ford brand ever since		Lincoln
Founded in 1952 by Colin Chapman – badge has "ACBC" (for Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman); based since 1966 in the village of Hethel, Norfolk; famous models include the Elan, Eclat, Elite, Esprit, and Elise		Lotus
Founded in 1926 by six Italian brothers; bought by Fiat in 1993; became the luxury division of Ferrari (also owned by FIAT) in 1999; part of FCA since the 2014 merger; emblem is a trident		Maserati
Bongo (commercial vehicle): manufactured since 1966 by		Mazda
Originally the name of an engine, developed for Daimler by the German entrepreneur Emil Jellinek, who named it after his daughter		Mercedes
Founded in 1924 to market cars customised to the designs of salesman Cecil Kimber		MG (Morris Garages)
Logo is three diamonds, meeting at a central point; name is Japanese for 'three diamonds'		Mitsubishi
Has built cars by hand in Malvern, Worcestershire since 1910		Morgan
Japanese company: opened a major new factory in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, in 1986; by 2007 it was producing 400,000 vehicles per year, making it Europe's most productive car plant		Nissan
Infiniti is the luxury vehicle division of
US marque: founded in 1897, bought by General Motors in 1908, discontinued in 2004; produced the 88, 1949–99 – its best seller from 1950 to 1974 – which gave its name to the 1951 song Rocket 88, often described as the first rock 'n' roll record		Oldsmobile
Badge is a lion rampant; introduced the acclaimed RCZ coupé in 2010		Peugeot
Founded in Malaysia in 1983, to manufacture rebadged Mitsubishi models; bought Lotus in 1996		Proton
Founded in 1935 by T. L. Williams at Tamworth, Staffordshire; based there until shortly before its demise in 2002; famous for the Robin 3–wheeler and the Scimitar sports model		Reliant
Formed as a result of a meeting in the Midland Hotel, Manchester, 1904; went bankrupt in 1971		Rolls–Royce
Unveiled in 2018, the Cullinan is the first SUV and the first four–wheel–drive vehicle to be produced by
Group that included the marques Hillman, Singer, Sunbeam and Humber		Rootes
Evolved from Starley & Sutton, of Coventry, founded in 1878 to make bicycles; made its first car in 1904; in 1967 it became part of Leyland Motor Corporation, which took its name in 1986 and was subsequently acquired by British Aerospace in 1988, sold to BMW in 1994, and split up in 2000 (BMW retained the Mini marque, sold Land Rover to Ford, and sold the remainder for £10 to a consortium headed by this company's former chief executive); ceased production in 2005		Rover
Badge was a Viking longship
Founded in 1950 in Martorell, Catalonia, by a state–owned company; controlled by Fiat from 1967; became Volkswagen's first non–German wholly–owned subsidiary in 1990		SEAT
Name is an acronym whose full expression translates into English as "Spanish Touring Car Company"
Launched in 2018, Cupra Racing is the high–performance subsidiary of
Founded in 1895 in the Czech Republic, bought by Volkswagen in 2000		Skoda
Name means 'damage' or 'a pity' in the language of its native country; badge is an arrow with three feathers – said to have been inspired by a Native American head–dress
Established in 1994 as a joint venture between Swatch and Daimler–Benz		Smart
Name is the Japanese name for the Pleiades star cluster (also known in English as the Seven Sisters – although the company's logo has only six stars)		Subaru
In 1924, Malcolm Campbell broke the world land speed record for the first time, in a		Sunbeam
Bought Jaguar Cars and Land Rover from Ford in 2008; merged them in 2013 to form Jaguar Land Rover (which it continued to own)		Tata
US company, founded in 2003 and named after a Croatian–born physicist; specialises in making high–performance electric cars, aiming for eventual sustainability; unsuccessfully sued the BBC's Top Gear in 2011 following a review of the Roadster, which implied that it couldn't hold charge; Elon Musk is its co–founder, CEO, and product architect		Tesla
Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of		Toyota
Sports car maker, established in Blackpool 1946 (and owned until 1965) by Trevor Wilkinson		TVR
Founded in 1857 by Alexander Wilson, to make pumps and marine engines; bought in 1863 (and given its current name) by Andrew Betts Brown to make travelling cranes; began making cars in 1903; bought by General Motors in 1925; Bedford Vehicles was established in 1930 as a subsidiary to manufacture commercial vehicles; sold in 2017 to Groupe PSA (manufacturers of Peugeot, Citröen and DS)		Vauxhall
Badge features a griffin, derived from the coat of arms of Falkes de Breauté – a mercenary soldier who was granted the Manor of Luton for services to King John in the thirteenth century
Stevenage–based motorcycle manufacturer, 1928–55: models included the Black Shadow – the world's fastest production bike in its time (1948–55), with a racing version known as the Black Lightning – as well as the Meteor, Comet and Rapide		Vincent
'I roll' in Latin		Volvo
Owns Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, Skoda		Volkswagen
'Bluemotion' was a trademark (used to designate a combination of technologies designed to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions) of

Models

The first car ever built in India: ceased production in 2014 after 56 years (British Leyland made a model with the same name, from 1982 to 1984)		Ambassador
Bentley's version (equivalent) of the Rolls–Royce Silver Seraph – produced 1998–2009		Arnage
The first four–wheel drive saloon		Audi Quattro
The first British hatchback		Austin A40
Small, low–cost sports car, produced by BMC (later British Leyland) from 1958 to 1971: marketed as one that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", and the successor to sporting versions of the pre–war Austin Seven; affectionately known as the 'frog–eye' because of its headlights, prominently mounted on top of the bonnet; see also MG Midget		Austin–Healey Sprite
Subject of the first Haynes Owner's Workshop Manual (titled as such), published in 1965
The first mass–produced British car		Austin Seven
Vauxhall model: based on the Opel Ascona, replaced the Victor in 1975, replaced in 1995 by the Vectra		Cavalier
Introduced by Daimler in 1953 to replace the Consort, priced £1066 – making it an "affordable" Daimler		Conquest
Rolls–Royce, 1971–95: name is that of a road cut into the side of a cliff or steep slope		Corniche
Land Rover model: production ceased in 2016, ending a run that went back to the company's original 1948 model		Defender
The UK's best–selling car, every year from 2009 to 2020 (and counting); became its best–selling car of all time in 2014, with 4.115 million sold		Ford Fiesta
Chevrolet car (built since 1958, with some breaks): named after an antelope		Impala
Model produced by Aston Martin from 1974 to 1990: named after the luxury marque that Aston Martin had bought in 1947		Lagonda
Introduced by Nissan in 2010: replaced by the Tesla Model 3 in 2020 as the world's all–time best–selling electric car (with 800,000 sold compared with 500,000)		Leaf
MG–badged, slightly more expensive version of the Austin–Healey Sprite; produced 1961–80		Midget
Replaced the Model 'T' Ford in 1928		Model 'A'
First British car to sell a million		Morris Minor
Launched by Mazda in 1989: became the best–selling two–seat convertible sports car in history, with one million sold by 2016		MX–5
Rolls–Royce model introduced in 1926 to replace the ground–breaking Silver Ghost; its eighth version was introduced in 2017		Phantom
Controversial Ford 'subcompact' (supermini), 1971–80 (North America only), with a reputation for fuel–tank fires associated with rear–end collisions; a leaked memo suggested that it was preferable to pay damages rather than to recall the car		Pinto
Car that James Dean was driving when he died		Porsche 550 Spyder
Launched by Nissan in 2006, and named after an ethnic group from Iran (known in Japan and Australia as the Dualis)		Qashqai
The Mitsubishi Pajero (full–size SUV, 1981–2021) was marketed as the Montero in North America, Spain and Latin America, and in the UK as the		Shogun
Replaced the Ford Cortina in 1982; replaced by the Mondeo in 1994		Sierra
The model that established Rolls–Royce's reputation as makers of "the best car in the world" (produced 1906–25; initially in Manchester, Derby from 1908)		Silver Ghost
Ford mid–sized model: the USA's best–selling car every year from 1992 to 1996		Taurus
Name shared by cars made by Triumph (1970–6) and Seat (from 1991) – after a Spanish city, famous for sword–making; there is also a city in Ohio with the same name		Toledo
Volkswagen city car (World Car of the Year 2012): shares its name with a Pixar film released in 2009		Up
Aston Martin–badged, limited production hybrid sports car, built in collaboration with Red Bull Racing and several other manufacturers, as a track–oriented car that can be used and enjoyed on the road; shown from 2016, production due to begin in 2020		Valkyrie
Aston Martin grand tourer, produced from 2001 to 2007 and 2012 to 2018: driven by Piers Brosnan as James Bond in Die Another Day (2002)		Vanquish
Aston Martin model, launched in 1977 following the rescue of the company, and produced until 1989: with a top speed of 170 mph, hailed as "Britain's first supercar"		V8 Vantage
Replaced the Vauxhall Cavalier in 1995 (name used by Opel for its equivalent models from 1988); replaced by the Insignia in 2008		Vectra
Publicised on introduction (1938) by the slogan 'strength through joy'		VW Beetle

Record Breakers

Land

Broke the world land speed record nine times between 1924 and 1935 (raising it from 145 mph to 301 mph); also held the water speed record from 1937 to 1950, breaking it four times		Malcolm Campbell
Carmarthenshire beach on which Malcolm Campbell set world land speed records in 1924, 1925 and 1927 (also Parry Thomas in 1926)		Pendine
Florida beach where the world land speed record was broken seven times between 1928 and 1935 – twice by Henry Segrave (UK), four times by Malcolm Campbell, and once (1928) by Ray Keech (USA)		Daytona Beach
Utah salt flats where the world land speed record was broken seven times between 1935 and 1947 – once by Malcolm Campbell, three times by George Eyston, and three times by John Cobb		Bonneville Salt Flats
Son of Malcolm Campbell: held the world water speed record from 1955 to 1967, breaking it seven times; also held the land speed record for a wheel–driven car from 1964 to 1965, after Craig Breedlove (USA) broke the overall record using jet power		Donald Campbell
Name used by Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald for their cars and boats		Bluebird
Scottish businessman who set a new world land speed record of 633.468 mph (1,019 km/h) in 1983; also directed the ThrustSSC project (see below)		Richard Noble
Name of the car in which Richard Noble broke the world land speed record		Thrust2
RAF fighter pilot: became the first person to break the sound barrier on land, when he set a new world land speed record of 714.144 mph (1,149.303 km/h) in 1997		Andy Green
Name of the car in which RAF fighter pilot Andy Green became the first driver to break the sound barrier (in 1997)		Thrust SSC
Desert in Nevada where both Richard Noble and Andy Green set world land speed records		Black Rock Desert

Water

Son of Malcolm Campbell: held the world water speed record from 1955 to 1967, breaking it seven times; also held the land speed record for a wheel–driven car from 1964 to 1965, after Craig Breedlove (USA) broke the overall record using jet power		Donald Campbell
Name used by Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald for their cars and boats, including the one in which Donald lost his life (see below)		Bluebird
Sir Malcolm Campbell, and his son Donald, set world water speed records in 1939 and 1959 respectively, on (Cumbrian lake); Donald Campbell died there during an unsuccessful attempt in 1967		Coniston Water
American driver (pilot?): broke Donald Campbell's world water speed record in Hustler in 1967		Lee Taylor
Australian: set world water speed records in Spirit of Australia, in 1977 and 1978; the latter (317.596 mph / 511.121 km/h) still stood in 2020		Ken Warby

Other

Sodium azide (formula NaN3 – manufactured from ammonia) is used in (safety features)		Airbags
BMW stands for (in English)		Bavarian Motor Works
Britain's National Motor Museum		Beaulieu, Hampshire
Before cars, Rover made		Bicycles
Skodas are primarily manufactured in		Czech Republic
UK government agency responsible for driving tests		Driving Standards
Italian company, founded in 1926 to make radio components in Bologna, and still headquartered there, but best known today for its high–performance motorcycles; bought by Audi in 2012 through its Lamborghini subsidiary (thus becoming part of the Volkswagen group)		Ducati
You would find "Battenburg markings" on (an)		Emergency vehicle
Irish–born British tractor pioneer: made a deal with Henry Ford in 1938, to produce tractors incorporating his innovations in the USA; merged with Massey Harris of Canada in 1953 (following the expiry of most of his important patents), forming the company that combined his name with that of Massey		Harry Ferguson
Whitby Morrison, f.k.a. Whitby Specialist Vehicles – based in Crewe, Cheshire – is the world's leading manufacturer of		Ice cream vans
The only person allowed to drive without a licence in the UK, or drive a car without a number plate		The King
Builder of the first British motor car, 1894–5 (didn't market or sell any until Daimler had already done so); inventor of the disc brake		F. W. Lanchester
The Gatso is a brand of		Speed camera
Title, or name, of the Rolls–Royce emblem (statuette)		Spirit of Ecstasy
European country that switched from driving on the left to the right, in 1967		Sweden
Produced by Manganese Bronze Holdings plc, from 1973 until its liquidation in 2013 (when its business was taken over by the Chinese manufacturer Geely)		Taxis
Secretary who modelled for the Spirit of Ecstasy		Eleanor Thornton
Nickname of the Model 'T' Ford		Tin Lizzie
FIAT: the T stands for		Torino (Turin)
Up to 1963, Lamborghini made		Tractors

© Haydn Thompson 2017–24