People thinking about buying a BMW or BMW parts in the next couple of years will be inspired by a new collaboration, the manufacturer has forecast.

Ian Robertson is a member of the board of management at BMW AG and commented after it was announced that the carmaker will be the official Automotive Partner of London 2012 and a Sustainability Partner supporting the games’ low-carbon agenda.

He said not only are the agreements a great chance to further develop even more fuel-efficient vehicles, but it will be an encouraging development for customers, employees, suppliers and dealers.

"Sustainability is a central pillar of our business and guides all aspects of our operations," he explained. "Therefore, we have a natural affinity with London 2012 and its commitment to low carbon and healthy living."

Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Lord Sebastian Coe, said he was pleased to see BMW named as the automotive partner of the event.

News of the partnership comes days after BMW parts were named as some of the factors behind a recent award.

The BMW Z4 won Scottish Drop Top of the Year at the Scottish car of the Year Awards 2009.

Mitsubishi is gearing up to officially launch its i-MiEV model in the UK.

Scheduled to hit the road on December 12th, 25 of the electric cars recently arrived from Japan at Royal Portbury Docks in Bristol.

The i-MiEV is said to generate absolutely no emissions, seat four people and run for 100 miles before the need for charging its battery arises.

It can reach a top speed of 81 mph and will cost owners only 96p to fully charge, the manufacturer claims.

Once the models are ready to experience UK roads, they will be used as part of a government trial in the West Midlands.

Mitsubishi, which already sells the i-MiEV in Japan, hopes to begin European production in October of next year. It says the car has "flown out the door" with customers in Asia, while another 900 orders have already been placed for 2010.

Last month, it was announced that the lithium-ion-powered vehicle won an award at the Tokyo International Motor Show 2009.

It took the prize for most advanced technology.

The current state of driving tests in the UK could be improved, according to an expert.

Andrew Howard is head of road safety for the AA and commented following new statistics from Co-Operative Insurance and Brake, which found that 30 per cent of young drivers admit to being reckless behind the wheel.

While the question of whether motoring tests should be more rigorous is a tricky one, they could definitely be better, he said.

Mr Howard also remarked on how there might be a benefit in teaching people to actually drive, rather than teaching them how to pass a test.

In addition, talking to younger people of 13 or 14 years old may help, because it could get them taking the right temperament to the roads before they even learn.

"Attitude holds the key," he added. "One of the problems with youngsters is it tends to become a way that they can express themselves and show off."

A new review has seen Jeremy Clarkson comment on certain Toyota parts that are included in the RAV4 SR 2.2 D-4D.

In his column for the Times, the motoring expert took the car for a spin and eventually gave it three out of five possible stars.

But certain Toyota parts were singled out for being "pretty nasty".

Not only were the seats hard, but the diesel engine was "unrefined" and the small television screen in the rear-view mirror was not big enough to be of any practical use.

However, Clarkson also mentioned the Bluetooth connectivity, air-conditioning, wipers and headlights, which combined to make a feature package worthy of the price.

Although many gadgets and gizmos were singled out for praise or lamentation, the Top Gear presenter predicted that the vehicle will not necessarily be that popular.

"It is the sort of car you would buy with your head. Which is why no one will buy it at all," he added.

Some of Clarkson’s most well-known reviews for the Times include his February 2008 evaluation of the BMW 120d Sport, which he gave only one star and described as "plain ugly".

Those on the lookout for BMW Z4 parts might find further proof of their great buying choices in the recent comments of an expert.

Last week saw the Scottish Car of the Year Awards 2009 take place and the model was given the gong for best "drop top" vehicle.

President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers – the organisation behind the event – Bill Caven, said the build quality of the motor was excellent.

He also highlighted its "slick folding-roof mechanism", which helped to make the Z4 the "ultimate" driving experience.

BMW also took home the Eco award for its EfficientDynamics system, which incorporates various technologies to deliver a greener solution for motorists.

These include Active Aerodynamics and Auto Start-Stop features.

"With its Efficient Dynamics programmes [BMW has] certainly provided a breath of fresh air in making us more aware of what clean should mean," Mr Caven explained.

The aforementioned prizes are not the first for the manufacturer this autumn. Earlier this month, the group’s model range was named by a Fleet News/Grant Thornton survey as the most reliable in the country.

Car parts may not seem like the most obvious choice for Christmas presents – but according to one organisation, they are proving popular.

DVLA Personalised Registrations said this week its monthly sales for 2009 were up on last year’s and one in five number plates were bought as gifts.

Prices start at £245 and there are over 30 million combinations to choose from on the group’s website, said marketing manager Damian Lawson.

He added that buying a personalised registration as a present was a "gift for life".

"There is undoubtedly a sway by members of the public willing to go that extra step to provide a unique gift."

The DVLA is set to hold another auction next month, to give would-be purchasers the chance to snag the perfect plate.

December 2nd is the date scheduled for the event, which will take place at Tankersley Manor Hotel in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Some of the alpha-numeric combinations that went under the hammer at a recent DVLA auction ended up selling for thousands of pounds. A mystery buyer purchased 5 O for over £87,000.

The Skoda Yeti has proved to be a "great success" since its launch, according to the manufacturer.

While announcing that the company was nearing its sales target set for 2009, it said more than 800 orders for the vehicle have been received already.

Stating its UK sales for January to October 2009 as 29,500, Skoda highlighted its participation in the scrappage scheme, which has yielded 9,300 customer orders.

In total, the company is 1.7 per cent away from matching 2008’s record-breaking sales total, having sold 570,217 vehicles so far this year.

Reinhard Flegar, Skoda Auto board of directors member responsible for sales, said a big part of the company’s continued success was China, which he said was "playing a major role in the brand’s future development".

He also cited the popularity of the Fabia, Octavia and Superb models in all markets.

Earlier this month, Skoda announced that production of the very first Superb Estate was complete.

The Mazda3 stands head and shoulders above its rivals, a panel of experts recently said.

Judging at the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW) Scottish Car of the Year Awards last week, a team of journalists named the vehicle as the best in the family car category.

They noted that while there was lots of competition this year – in all shapes and sizes – the Mazda3 "pushed the boundaries" and met the needs of its users with style and quality.

Bill Caven is president of the ASMW and said the motor was "a new version of an old favourite".

"It is no wonder that the all-new Mazda3 ticks all the right boxes when it comes to families making an informed choice regarding their car purchase," he added.

The manufacturer’s joy at winning the award may have been shared by Volkswagen, which saw its Polo model given the award for best small car of the year.

Engine options and a wide range of trim levels were two reasons cited by the judges as to why the vehicle took the prize.

The Ford Focus RS has been described as a "worthy" winner after coming away from a Scottish awards ceremony with a prize.

Bill Caven is president of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, which chose the motor as the best in the sporting category at the Scottish Car of the Year bash.

He said a combination of excellent features – affordability, power and poise – made the auto leader of the pack.

"The Ford Focus was the winner at the inaugural awards in 1998 and Ford has had winners almost every year, proving that Ford cars deliver what the Scottish market demands," Mr Caven added.

A total of 17 journalists comprised the panel of judges, selecting the model as the winner above competitors such as the Volkswagen Golf GTi, the Nissan 370Z and the Audi R8 V10.

The win represents the second milestone celebrated by the manufacturer this month.

Earlier in November, it announced that sales of the Fiesta had breached 100,000 so far in 2009.

The panel of judges at the recently-held Scottish Car of the Year awards ceremony has highlighted certain Citroen parts.

Following the C3 Picasso’s win for best multi-purpose vehicle of the year, Association of Scottish Motoring Writers member Stephen Park remarked on the vehicle’s performance.

"We were particularly impressed by the 1.6HDi engine that provides strong, economical power and good overall performance," he said.

According to the manufacturer, it took the top spot in a category full of competitors such as the Renault Grand Scenic and the Kia Soul.

Citroen also said the prize was one of several garnered by the C3 Picasso so far this year – it also snagged honours from publications such as Fleet World, What Diesel and Top Gear.

The company may be looking at more success in the next few months, after launching its 100 per cent-electric city car in recent days.

Named the C-Zero, it is set to hit showrooms in the last quarter of next year.