Toyota Recall

The reliability of Toyota is not in question, despite the firm’s recent recall of up to 1.8 million vehicles across Europe because of accelerator and brake issues.

That is the view of Warranty Direct, which conducted a poll on its www.reliabilityindex.co.uk website, and discovered that 76% of drivers will not view Toyota as a less reliable marque because of the recalls.

The Reliability Index is a unique database that charts the trustworthiness of thousands of used cars by taking into account each vehicle’s rate of failure, cost of repair, mileage and age.

With a long history of building reliable cars, Toyota sits high in the Reliability Index, with just 12% of its cars hitting a fault in an average year, well under the overall average of 28%.

In fact Warranty Direct rates the Corolla (2002-2007 model year) – Toyota’s most popular car – as being the most reliable motor on the road, with just 1 in 20 suffering a problem in the average year.

Warranty Direct’s Duncan McClure Fisher said:

“For years Toyota has been one of the most dependable manufacturers and it will rightly continue to be seen as a reliable make by consumers.”

Related articles:

• Toyota president: We grew too big, too fast in US (thenewstribune.com)
• Edmunds looks at Toyota Corolla, Chevy Cobalt steering complaints, calls out NHTSA (autoblog.com)
• Corolla probe threatens Toyota brand (windsorstar.com)

Bentley is delighted to announce the opening of its first ever dedicated Boutique at the Geneva Motor Show this year.

Motor show visitors will be able to choose from a selection of Bentley branded merchandise from the Bentley Collection, together with a limited edition range of new products designed exclusively for the 2010 show.

Also on display will be a number of products produced for Bentley under licence from best-in-class partners: Breitling watches, Tibaldi pens, Stockinger safes, Estede eyewear and zai skis.

The branded merchandise is themed around “A Celebration of Colour”. We have selected vibrant accents from the exciting new colour hues of the cars on the show stand, and have worked with Robert Ettinger of London to produce a Limited Edition range of small leather goods comprising luggage tags, key fobs, passport holders and coin purses. Hand-stitched entirely in England from Bentley’s own hides, Ettinger’s leather goods reflect the finest workmanship and materials. Ettinger is proud to hold royal warrants.

Other beautiful gifts will also be available to purchase such as sterling silver cufflinks, hand-made in England and assured with Bentley’s own hallmark; sumptuous silk ties, pure merino wool accessories, hand-stitched gloves, model cars and a range of classic clothing and caps.

“zai for Bentley” Skis

The new, Limited Edition “zai for Bentley” skis will be showcased at the Geneva Motor Show this year.

These ‘one-of-a-kind’ “Supersport” skis are entirely handmade in Switzerland. The skis, poles and ski bag have been designed exclusively for Bentley, with design input from Bentley’s own styling team and will be a limited edition of 250 numbered pairs.

Most excitingly, unique and patented technology confirms the product range is truly ‘one-of -a-kind’. New materials deployed in the skis will be a world first. Zaiìra® is a novel composite material containing carbon fibres specially developed by zai in co-operation with a partner. Zaiìra® is used on the skis’ top layer in combination with natural rubber in the centre as well as carbon fabric in composition with chrome steel in the torsion part. Additionally, long carbon fibre Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites (LFRTP) are being used in the zai for Bentley ‘Supersport’ skis.

The ski poles also demonstrate a new technology, ExoGrid®, which has thus far been used for golf club shafts. Now employed for the first time – and only – in the Bentley skis, this unique combination of titan and carbon fabric reduces weight and guarantees high stability. The ski bag is also custom-designed and custom-manufactured by zai.

Zai was formed in 2004 and is based in the Swiss village of Disentis. The company is a high-end manufacturer of ski products, helmets and goggles, with a focus on hand-built craftsmanship and the use of unique materials and patented technology.

Zai launched the world’s first and only skis containing a stone core, “zai Spada”, followed by ‘Hublot All Black by zai’ skis featuring a natural rubber top layer.

The zai for Bentley ski range will be a limited quantity only, numbered 1/250.

The skis will be priced as follows:
6,800 EUR
9,800 CHF
9,800 USD
5,900 GBP

The skis are available to order and retailed via zai distributors. Please contact:

Benedikt Germanier at zai for Bentley directly for information.
www.zaiforbentley.com
or
info@zai.ch

Estede Eyewear

An exciting new collaboration between Bentley and Austrian eyewear manufacturer, Estede, will be also showcased at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

Working with Crewe design teams, Estede has produced a limited edition, high-end range of sunglasses and ophthalmic frames under licence for Bentley.

Estede is a family-owned company experienced in the luxury eyewear sector. Previous clients include Porsche Design, Chopard, S.T. Dupont, Fabergé and Girard-Perregaux. Estede’s focus has always been on sophistication, understatement and elegance and these cues are evident in the new “Estede for Bentley” Collection.

Presented as a Limited Edition Collection, the frames are available in two different sizes. What sets the “Estede for Bentley” collection apart from others is the use of precious metals and innovative surface treatments: silver palladium, 18 carat gold and platinum are the components of this exquisite range.  In particular, platinum is considered to be the rarest of all precious metals and never before used in eyewear – hence the new Bentley range will establish a precedent in the eyewear sector.

Offered in a presentation box containing spare/different lenses for varying activities, each pair of frames will be individually numbered and can also be engraved with owner’s name or car details.

RRP approx. pricing – Silver palladium €1,400, 18 carat gold €4,100 and platinum €11,500

For further details, please contact:
Christoph Rosenauer
crosenauer@estede.at

“Tibaldi for Bentley”

The Geneva Motor Show will also see the launch of three new exciting pen designs in the “Tibaldi for Bentley” range.

Tibaldi was Italy’s first ever manufacturer of fountain pens, founded in 1916. Phi – the concept known as the Divine Proportion – informs every aspect of the structure of all Tibaldi pens. For example, the proportion between the pen’s cap and the visible portion of the barrel when the pen is closed equals the phi ratio, 1.618.

Even the pen’s accompanying case is measured in multiples of the phi coefficient.

Phi has been used in art, architecture and music for centuries, often unintentionally. Aesthetically, phi is a symbol of perfect and natural beauty.

All Tibaldi pens have a patented filling mechanism. Revolving the cap to fill the barrel with ink produces the gentle sound and reassuring feeling experienced when manually winding the crown or bezel of a fine watch. The mechanism resists rotation slightly, avoiding brusque movements of the bottom of the pen and reducing the risk of leakage. The traditional tie-shaped clip is a signature of Tibaldi pens from the early 1900s. The Tibaldi clip’s sophisticated spring mechanism lifts it easily away from the cap and its polished rotary wheel lets it slide effortlessly when inserted into a pocket.

Tibalid is synonymous with special limited editions. Widely regarded as the finest technical writing instruments in the world, and serious collectors’ items, the attention to detail and craftsmansip inherent in Tibaldi pens is unrivalled.

All Tibaldi pens are available worldwide via Tibaldi distributors, high-end department stores such as Harrods, and specialist pen stores.

MULSANNE

The flagship pen! A Limited Edition fountain pen and roller ball (90 of each style and veneer). Designed in collaboration with Bentley’s own styling studio and drawing design cues from the new highly acclaimed Bentley Mulsanne.

Available in light, medium or dark veneers available to match perfectly the Mulsanne veneers. Finished in pure sterling silver.

Retail price range approx € 3,900 – € 4,500

SUPERSPORTS

Exciting, sexy, racing, innovative: the first “Tibaldi for Bentley” pen fashioned from smoked carbon fibre and presented in a quilted Alcantara case.

Drawing on design cues from Bentley Supersports – the ultimate ‘extreme’ Bentley – the pens reflect another successful collaboration between Bentley’s own design studio and Tibaldi.

Available as either fountain pen or roller ball, each pen is numbered 1 of only 630.

Retail Price approx. € 1,300 – € 1,700.

CONTINENTAL SLIMLINE

Tibaldi for Bentley introduce a slimmer version of the highly successful existing Continental pen series.

Produced as a Limited Edition range of fountain pen, roller ball, Bball Point and Pencil in exciting new hues, reflecting the Bentley Continental’s most popular exterior paint colours: Aquamarine, St. James Red (solid), Violette, Magenta Metallic & Silver Tempest.

Only 999 of each pen style will be produced.

RRP approx € 500 – € 850.

The Bentley ranges may be viewed on www.tibaldi.it

Toyotas Not Allowed on Driving Test Until Modified

These vehicles can’t be used for your practical driving test as they are subject to a safety notice that has been issued by the vehicle manufacturer for safety reasons. Find out if your vehicle is affected and what action you need to take.

Toyota recall action

Toyota have informed the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) that if their retail centres are given confirmation of your driving test booking in sufficient time, Toyota will be able to take corrective action.

Toyota have undertaken to ensure your vehicle is checked if it is subject to a current recall and you intend using it for your driving test. Toyota will check your vehicle accelerator pedal and modify in time for your test.

Vehicles affected:

All of the following vehicles with the specified build dates:

* Toyota AYGO (February 2005 to August 2009)

* Toyota iQ (November 2008 to November 2009)

* Toyota Yaris (November 2005 to September 2009)

* Toyota Auris (October 2006 to 5 January 2010)

* Toyota Corolla (October 2006 to December 2009)

* Toyota Verso (February 2009 to 5 January 2010)

* Toyota Avensis (November 2008 to December 2009)

* Peugeot – 107 (February 2005 to August 2009)

* Citroen – C1 (February 2005 to August 2009)

Vehicle recall issue date

3 February 2010.

Problem

Accelerator pedal may fail to return to idle.

Action

You must provide documentary evidence (this will usually be in the form of a Toyota, Peugeot or Citroen letter stamped by your dealer and containing written confirmation) to show that:

* the vehicle is exempt from the recall work

* the recall work has been carried out

* the vehicle has been checked and no work is necessary

One of the documentary evidence can be:

* the actual recall letter or safety notice that has been stamped by the manufacturer or dealer

* written documentary evidence from the manufacturer or a dealer

Unfortunately if you take an affected vehicle to your test and don’t provide any documentary evidence your test will be cancelled.

Candidates who cannot proceed with their test should contact the DSA to arrange their test to be rebooked once the remedial work has been done.

As there has been no prior warning of this action, if the test is not conducted the fee will be refunded or a free retest given on the first occasion that a specific vehicle is presented for test.

Alistair Darling

Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling delivered his second Budget against a background of the worst economic crisis for 60 years. Below we outline the key measures impacting on the fleet and motor industry.

Company car tax
Company car tax thresholds will tighten by a further 5 g/km with effect from April 6, 2011. That will see the 15% company car tax band lowered from 130 g/km to 125 g/km.

As a result, fleet decision-makers and company car drivers should brace themselves for two successive increases in benefit-in-kind tax thresholds.

While current financial year (2009/10) thresholds remain unchanged from 2008/9 levels, the Chancellor previously announced that there would be a 5 g/km tightening in levels in 2010/11. That will see the basic threshold for the 15% company car tax band drop to 130 g/km from the current 135 g/km (see chart below).

The Chancellor also announced a number of other changes that will come into effect from 2011/12 and in 2012.

The long-standing £80,000 price cap on company car list prices for the purpose of company car tax is to be abolished from 2011/12.

In addition, from 2011/12 the Chancellor is axing the company car tax discounts that currently apply to alternatively-fuelled vehicles (electric-petrol hybrids, ‘Flex-Fuel Vehicles’, bi-fuels, road fuel gas and bioethanol). The only ‘discount’ that will remain from 2011-12 is that for electric cars, which will qualify for 9% benefit-in-kind tax.

And, from 2012/13 the Chancellor has pledged that there will be a shake-up in company car tax.

Since April 2008, there has been a 10% band for company cars emitting 120 g/km of CO₂ or less. However, the Government says that with the increasing number of low emission models reaching showrooms there will be no need to provide such an incentive.

Instead, the existing company car tax benefit-in-kind tax system will be extended to start at 10% and increase by one percentage point with every 5 g/km rise in CO₂ emissions. This means that the 10% benefit-in-kind tax rate is likely to start at 100 g/km based on 2011/12 thresholds.

Simultaneously, the Government is considering the case for abolishing the current 3% company car tax diesel supplement on cars that meet Euro6 emission standards. Euro6 standards come into effect on January 1, 2015, but the incentive is likely to encourage carmakers to speed-up their marketplace arrival.

G/km of CO₂ % of list price

2009/10           2010/11           2011/12
120                  120                  120                  10
135                  130                  125                  15
140                  135                  130                  16
145                  140                  135                  17
150                  145                  140                  18
155                  150                  145                  19
160                  155                  150                  20
165                  160                  155                  21
170                  165                  160                  22
175                  170                  165                  23
180                  175                  170                  24
185                  180                  175                  25
190                  185                  180                  26
195                  190                  185                  27
200                  195                  190                  28
205                  200                  195                  29
210                  205                  200                  30
215                  210                  205                  31
220                  215                  210                  32
225                  220                  215                  33
230                  225                  220                  34
235                  230                  225                  35

• Current discounts for alternatively-fuelled vehicles are:
  1. Cost of conversion disregarded for bi-fuel gas and petrol cars after type approval, no additional percentage discount.
  2. 2% discount for ‘Flex-Fuel Vehicles’, bi-fuel gas and petrol cars manufactured or converted before type approval
  3. 3% discount for hybrid electric and petrol cars
  4. 6% discount for electric-only cars.

Car and van scrappage scheme launched
Owners of cars and vans 10-years-old, or older, are to be offered a £2,000 incetive towards the cost of a new car or van if they trade in their vehicle for scrap under plans unveiled by the Government.

The UK scheme, with £300 million from Government and, controversially matched funding from industry, is intended to provide immediate support on a short-term basis to boost the car industry and its supply chain in the wake of falling sales.

The scheme will operate from mid-May until March 2010 or until the government funding has been used.

It will apply to commercial vans (up to 3.5 tonnes) as well as cars that are 10 years old or older.

The scheme is voluntary so not all manufacturers or dealers may participate.

Dealers will do all the paperwork for motorists participating in the scheme and arrange for the old vehicle to be scrapped. The dealer will check that the vehicle being traded in and the new one being bought qualify under the scheme.

The motor industry welcomed the introduction of the scrappage scheme, which has long campaigned for. Although, it had previously been opposed to so-called ‘match funding’, which will see the £2,000 incentive composed of £1,000 from the Government and £1,000 from participating manufacturers/dealers.

In a statement, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, said:

“The decision to implement a scrappage scheme has been taken after careful consideration of car industry proposals, lessons learnt from European schemes as well as concerns raised about the impact of such a scheme on other sectors of the economy.

“The UK scheme is intended to provide immediate support on a short-term basis to boost the car industry and its supply chain in the wake of falling sales. It will also get older vehicles off the road and encourage consumers to invest in new, safer, and potentially more environmentally friendly models.”

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: “This is targeted action with a capped budget and for a limited time, designed to boost the whole motor trade. This will ensure that the benefits of a scrappage scheme are balanced with the needs of other sectors of the car industry such as the second hand market, maintenance and repair businesses, and other industries that produce consumer durables or on the taxpayer.”

Vehicle Excise Duty
Changes to Vehicle Excise Duty rates in 2009/10 will take place on May 1 with the Chancellor confirming that fees will be unchanged from those announced in November’s Pre-Budget Report (see table below).

Simultaneously on May 1, a new 13-band VED system will also come into place.

VED rates for cars and light goods vehicles registered before March 1, 2001 will increase by £5 this year. In 2010, the higher rate will increase by £15 and the lower rate will be frozen.

The VED rate for light goods vehicles registered on or after March 1, 2001 will also increase by £5 this year. The discounted rate for eligible light goods diesel vehicles achieving early compliance with Euro 4 and Euro 5 emissions standards will also be increased by £5. In 2010, the standard rate will be increased by £15 and the discounted rate will be frozen.

Vehicle Excise Duty for cars registered on or after 1 March 2001: 2009/10 and 2010/11 standard rates and 2010/11 first year rate

*Alternative fuel discount 2009/10: A-I £20, J-M £15; 2010/11 onwards: £10 all cars

** Includes cars emitting over 225 g/km registered between March 1, 2001 and March 23, 2006

Vehicle Excise Duty for private and light goods vehicles registered before March 1, 2001 (pre-graduated VED): 2009/10 and 2010/11 rates

Vehicle Excise Duty for light goods vehicles registered on or after March 1, 2001: 2009/10 and 2010/11 rates

*for Euro 4 compliant vans registered between March 1, 2003 and December 31, 2006

**for Euro 5 compliant vans registered between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010

Fuel duty
The price of petrol and diesel will rise by 2p a litre on September 1 and by 1p a litre above inflation each year from 2010 to 2013, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has announced.

Duty rates on biodiesel and bioethanol will increase by a similar amount.

The future fuel duty rate rises were confirmed in the Budget statement and follow the 1.84p a litre rise that came into effect on April 1.

Other Budget announcements

• The Chancellor confirmed the already announced and implemented new corporate tax rules governing capital allowances on business cars. There had been calls on in some quarters for the rules to be put on hold pending a recovery in the new car market.
• Ahead of the Budget (on April 16), the Department for Transport announced incentives of £2,000-£5,000 to encourage the uptake of electric and plug-in hybrid cars from 2011. This measure was confirmed by the Chancellor.
• Amendments to VAT fuel scale charge rates for taxing private use of fuel, to reflect changes in fuel prices have been announced. They take effect from the start of the next accounting period beginning on or after May 1, 2009. The new VAT fuel scale charge rates are accessible at www.hmrc.gov.uk
• There was no mention in the Budget papers of any rise in the £16,900 figure on which the company car fuel benefit charge paid by employees who drive company cars and receive ‘free’ fuel for private use is based. This is despite the fact that in the 2008 Budget, the Chancellor said that from April 6, 2009, the multiplier would increase at least in line with inflation.

Jeep

Available from the 1st March, 2010, Jeep’s latest special edition model will attract a lot of interest from new buyers wanting to test drive the luxurious Grand Cherokee Overland Tech.

Customer demand for even more lavishly equipped 4×4 vehicles has led to a new special edition Jeep® Grand Cherokee being introduced.  Priced at £33,450, the Grand Cherokee Overland Tech is extremely well equipped and offers customers fantastic value for money combined with Jeep’s legendary four-wheel-drive capability. Only 115 models will be made available.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee range now includes four models; Limited, Overland, SRT-8 and the new Overland Tech. The popular 3.0-litre, six cylinder diesel engine in the Grand Cherokee Overland Tech, produces 215 bhp and 376 Ib ft of torque to give the Grand Cherokee a top speed of 124 mph. Grand Cherokee Overland Tech goes from to 62.5 mph in 9.7 seconds.

Grand Cherokee Pricing (OTR):

The Grand Cherokee Overland Tech is brimming with a whole host of high tech equipment – sunscreen glass, 18 inch alloy wheels, xenon headlamps, front and rear park assist, rear back-up camera and rain sensitive automatic windscreen wipers. The elegant and luxurious theme continues inside with leather trimmed seats, real Walnut Burlwood accents, power front seats, electric windows, dual-zone air conditioning, power sunroof and heated door mirrors.  Heated front and rear seats plus the rear DVD entertainment system add the final luxury touch to an interior that is high tech, exclusive and well appointed.

The Grand Cherokee Overland Tech also features a state-of-the-art vehicle infotainment system with a 276-watt premium sound system with six Boston Acoustics® speakers and a 3D satellite navigation system with a 30GB hard drive and Bluetooth connectivity.

Safety is increasingly important for customers and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Tech is fitted with many standard safety features including  Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that delivers four security features to improve overall vehicle handling and performance both on- and off-road: Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) reacts and applies brakes during extreme situations while available Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Hill Start Assist (HSA) work with optional Trailer-Sway Control (TSC)  to enhance off-road and towing capabilities.

Quadra Trac II®, Jeep’s full time active four-wheel-drive system, provides outstanding response and traction under all driving conditions – both on- and off-road – without the driver having to shift any levers or push any buttons. It also improves handling stability in wet weather and on slippery roads by making maximum use of available traction during acceleration

Quadra-Drive II incorporates Electronic Limited Slip Differentials (ELSD) — front, centre and rear — to offer customers the ultimate in off-road capability with even quicker response to changing conditions and greater torque capacity.

Federico Goretti, Managing Director of Chrysler UK Ltd, said: “We are very confident that the Grand Cherokee Overland Tech with its combination of luxury, ability, equipment and competitive price will find favour with many UK customers.

“The Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Tech offers customer savings of £4,300 over the Overland model. With only 115 models for sale we expect high demand,  so interested buyers should visit their nearest Jeep dealership for more information and to test drive this special edition.”

Jeep Grand Cherokee models are covered by the comprehensive Jeep warranty scheme, which provides a three-year/60,000 mile mechanical warranty, seven-year anti-corrosion warranty and one-year European roadside assistance.

The HM Plant Honda team finished the 2009 BSB season on a high at Oulton Park this weekend, with Steve Plater taking his British Supersport campaign to the wire but securing the Championship title on his CBR600RR.

In the British Superbike class Josh Brookes was placed fourth in the overall points despite missing three race meetings, while team-mate Glen Richards ended his season in 12th place after being absent from five rounds of the series due to injury.

Steve Brogan and John McGuinness on the Padgetts Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades further sealed second and third places respectively in the British Superstock 1000 class.

BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

Qualifying: Josh Brookes 6th / Glen Richards 11th.

Race 1 (16 laps): Josh Brookes DNF / Glen Richards 11th

Race 2 (16 laps): Josh Brookes 7th / Glen Richards 10th

Race 3 (16 laps): Josh Brookes 3rd / Glen Richards 8th

In the first of three races at Oulton Park, run on Saturday, Josh Brookes was unlucky to encounter a technical problem on the second lap whilst negotiating Cascades and running in a strong second place. Shortly afterwards the race was red flagged for an incident involving Karl Harris and a reduced 12 lap race was run, but because Josh was not circulating when the race was stopped he was not permitted to re-start. Glen Richards was able to maintain his qualifying position to finish the shortened race in 11th place.

Race two, the first of two outings on Sunday, didn’t go according to plan for either HM Plant Honda rider. Josh fell back from an initial fifth place in the early stages to complete the 16 laps in seventh position, while Glen Richards lost time when the pace car went in and had to play catch up, to end his race in 10th position.

Race three gave the team its best results of the weekend in the Superbike class with Josh claiming third place for the ninth time in the current campaign and Glen Richards improving yet once again to end his season with an eighth in the final race. The race was once again disrupted by a red flag, this time on the first lap. After a lengthy delay the race was re-run over a shortened distance of 12 laps with Josh holding third for the majority of the laps while Glen rode to another strong result in eighth position, despite an aching leg from his earlier season injury.

Josh Brookes

“It’s been both a good and frustrating weekend, but I’m pleased to have finished the final race of the season on the podium. We’ve got a good base setting with the bike but we’ve been using our time at the races to also try some different set-up directions, which sometimes we get right and sometimes we don’t get the result we were looking for, so this has affected my ability to be as consistent as both me and the team would have liked from weekend to weekend. In the first race today I didn’t feel comfortable with our chosen settings at all, but for race two we made some changes and I felt I was able to push much harder.”

Glen Richards

“It felt good to be back racing again but Oulton is a track where you have to be ‘on it’ most of the time and my leg has certainly felt that this weekend. In the first race today I cannot believe I was so stupid. The pace car came out which I used as an opportunity to give my leg a bit of a rest, but the only problem was I was still thinking about my leg rather than realising the car had gone in and lost a load of time. I think it’s the most embarrassing thing I have ever done in my race career! Going into this weekend I wasn’t sure how much my leg would be able to stand up to. I’m frustrated that I wasn’t able to do better but happy that I gave it my all and was able to return for the last race of the season and finish all three races with reasonable positions.”

BRITISH SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP

Qualifying: Pole

Race (15 laps): 1st to secure 2009 British Supersport Championship title

Steve Plater claimed victory in the final race of the season to not only take the race win but also seal the British Supersport Championship with a 36 point advantage over his nearest rival, Billy McConnell.

Starting from pole position, Steve settled into second place behind fellow Lincolnshire rider Ben Wilson. The pair were swiftly followed by McConnell and James Westmoreland and all four steadily pulled away from the pursuing pack.

On lap three McConnell took the lead with Plater in his tyre tracks but Westmoreland was also anxious to claim a victory and followed through. McConnell pulled clear but as the race went on Plater began to claw back the deficit taking over a second out of him on lap nine before snatching the lead one lap later.

Westmoreland stayed in close formation and as McConnell dropped back it was left to Plater and Westmoreland to battle it out for the win. With two laps to go the pair were head to head as they exited Druids but Plater got the racing line and held station for the remainder of the race to claim the victory and the championship.

Steve Plater

“I really wanted to win the race, as well as to win the championship. It’s ok to finish in the points or on the podium but it’s not really my way. There is nothing better than to stand on the top step and obviously Billy had three wins, I had three wins and Westy had two so if Westy won it would have given us three wins apiece. As it is now I have had more podiums than anyone else, more wins and now the championship so that’s nice. It’s mega to put the championship to bed here at Oulton Park and it’s a big relief as much as anything else as for the last four or five rounds it’s been a closely fought thing. It’s also mega for HM Plant Honda and all my family, fans and all the people who have been ringing and texting me this last few weeks, who I’d like to thank for their continued support.”

BRITISH SUPERSTOCK 1000 CHAMPIONSHIP

Qualifying: John McGuinness 7th / Steve Brogan 1st

Race (14 laps): John McGuinness 10th / Steve Brogan 4th

The final race of the season didn’t quite go to plan for Steve Brogan who was deemed to have jumped the start and was awarded a ride through penalty. He left the circuit whilst leading the race to complete his ride through and re-joined down in 17th place. Less determined riders may have been disheartened, but Brogie got his head down and began to mount his come-back. He passed the midfielders three and four at a time until he reached fourth place and was only just over a second away from a podium finish, but ran out of laps and had to settle for fourth.

John McGuinness began well and moved through to sixth place mid race but faded back to end the race in 10th position, due to pain from his broken ribs and right hand.

Steve Brogan

“I’m gutted, for me, the Padgetts team and Honda to not get the win today as it would have been a great way to repay everyone for their support and hard work this year. We’ve had a whole season of incredibly hard work by everyone so to not be rewarded with a win is painful, and even more so when it was my own stupid mistake of a jump start which gave me the ride through penalty. Up till that point I was feeling completely comfortable leading the race with me and the bike working perfectly as a package. I knew while riding through the pit lane that my chance of winning was gone and there was a small part of me which could have given up there and then, but I kept focused on the fact that I could still secure second in the championship and that spurred me on to fight my way back up through the field. To come from 17th to 4th isn’t bad and I know with just one more lap I’d have been on the podium, so have to try and take some encouragement from that. The Padgetts team and Honda have been fantastic and I’d like to thank everyone for this year which has been great.”

John McGuinness

“A tenth place finish isn’t where I want to be or know I can be but my broken ribs and right hand have meant I’ve just not been able to push as hard as I normally would I was riding as hard as I could to secure third place in the championship but once I knew Cooper was out and my third place was secure, I felt it was better to not risk any further damage to my hand so backed off a bit, so finished the race in 10th. I’ve had an awesome season, enjoyed every minute of it and would like to thank Honda and Clive and all the Padgetts team for this year.”

WEEKEND SUMMARY

Havier Beltran – HM Plant Honda Team Manager

“We’ve certainly had a season of highs and lows but we’re delighted to come away from this final round with Steve securing the British Supersport Championship, Josh achieving another podium in Superbikes for HM Plant Honda and the Padgetts Honda squad securing second and third in the Superstock 1000 championship with Steve and John. We’re pleased Glen was able to be back with us for this final round to complete the team and he has ridden very well this weekend although his leg has caused him quite a bit of pain. Finishing 4th and 12th in the BSB Championship is not where we would want to be, but, considering Glen and Josh have both had to miss races this year I think the riders and the team have done a superb job. I would like to thank everyone involved with the HM Plant Honda team, from our riders and mechanics, to sponsors, suppliers, hospitality crew, Honda (UK), championship organisers and the fans for their involvement with the team and support during this season.”

For further information about Honda, the HM Plant Honda team and its riders please visit

www.honda.co.uk or www.honda-racing.co.uk