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Life&Times
Motoring
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Motoring News
Wednesday December 12 | 2018
This week… n Dacia pricing n Lego alert n Lights on or off?
Toying around with the last Lego Porsche 911 GT3 RS kits
Dusting off the prices for new petrol engine range DACIA has confirmed pricing for the Duster’s new range of TCe petrol engines, with the latest variants of the SUV available from £14,395. On offer in both 128bhp and 148bhp guises, the engines feature a lighter aluminium block and use bore spray coating on the inside of the cylinders to improve performance. They also have a gasoline particulate filter to reduce harmful pollutants. That all translates to 240Nm of torque, 137g/km and a claimed 47mpg for the 128bhp TCe ‘130’ engine, while the 148bhp ‘150’ boasts identical efficiency figures with a jump in torque to 250Nm. Both units are paired with a six-
speed manual gearbox and twowheel drive, with all-wheel-drive variants due to arrive later in 2019. Available in Comfort and Prestige trims, Dusters equipped with the ‘130’ option offer 16-in alloy wheels, a rear parking camera plus sensors, electric windows and a 7-in touchscreen infotainment system with support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. The ‘150’ comes exclusively with Prestige, which adds 17-in alloy wheels, a multi-view camera, blind spot warning, climate control and keyless entry. Pricing begins at £16,295 for this range-topper. Order books are now open.
PRODUCTION of Porsche’s ‘991’ 911 is about to end, and the final version of its popular Lego Technic GT3 RS replica has rolled off the line. Launched in 2016, this 1:8 scale model kit consists of 2,704 pieces and features detailed features, such as aerodynamic bodywork, replica dashboard, functional gearbox – and even a movable rear wing. Its end makes way for a series of yet-to-be-confirmed sets in 2019. But if you are planning on one for Christmas, don’t despair. Sets can still be bought in selected retailers while stocks last, at a cost of £259.99.
If you miss out, you could opt for another Lego Technic machine released this year. The Bugatti Chiron has also received the brick treatment, with that particular set consisting of 3,599 pieces. Like the Porsche, it features a working engine and movable rear wing, along with a tiny luggage set. Feeling particularly brave? Then why not have a crack at replicating Lego’s full-sized Bugatti Chiron – the first driveable brick-built car? But be warned, it requires over a million Technic elements and takes 13,438 man-hours!
END OF THE ROAD Grab the Porsche 911 Lego kit while you can
Daytime running lights causing confusion DRIVERS could be causing confusion for other motorists by relying on daytime running lights [DRLs] for illumination in low visibility conditions, new research has found. An RAC study of 2,061 UK drivers revealed 62 per cent claimed to have seen other vehicles with lights on at the front in dull or overcast weather conditions, but not at the rear. Additionally, 15 per cent of respondents say they had not noticed this, while 23 per cent were unsure. EU law has required all new cars and small vans sold in the country to be fitted with DRLs at the front of the vehicle since 2011 in an effort to improve road safety – but they are intended to complement dipped headlights rather than replace them, and are dimmer as a result. But it is not a legal requirement for DRLs to be fitted at the rear of a car, although some manufacturers choose to fit them. When asked if they knew whether the car they drove most frequently had DRLs fitted, 47 per cent of those in the survey said their car did not, 29 per cent said they only had them up front, 14 per cent claimed to have them both front and back, and 8 per cent said they knew their car had them at the front of their vehicle but were unsure about the rear. RAC road safety spokesperson Pete Williams said: “This is potentially a very worrying finding as it implies that many motorists are driving without any rear lights, believing that because they have running lights that switch on automatically at the front they are also on at the rear. “Alternatively, and arguably just as concerning, these drivers could simply have decided the light conditions were not bad enough to merit turning on their dipped lights or sidelights.”