Auto Trader has announced that its car of the decade is the Bugatti Veyron.

Volkswagen’s announcement that it was to build the fastest production car on the planet was met with contempt from most of the auto world, according to the magazine.

But the German manufacturer slowly turned the dream into a reality – with fifty engineers taking five years to make the gearbox perfect.

The model was first released in 2005 complete with a 16-cylinder 8-litre W16 engine capable of producing 1,001 bhp.

It is capable of accelerating from stand still to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds using four-wheel drive, and has a top speed of 253 mph. At the time it was the fastest street-legal car in the world.

The magazine described the car as "our car of the decade because it is the best engineered and most iconic motor produced in the last ten years".

An American motorist recently claimed a low-flying pelican was to blame for a crash which sent a £600,000 Bugatti flying into a lake.

Racecar engineering specialist John Danby Racing has drafted industry expert DC Electronics in to help develop its Honda NSX.

The model was introduced by Honda in 1990 and now the wiring loom expert will work with John Danby Racing to bring the car into the 21st century.

Its design includes an engine control from Pectel, power management from Ole Buhl Racing, data acquisition from MoTeC and live video transmission from Drivedata.

Wiring weight is being kept to a minimum and provisions have been made for paddleshift, ABS and electronic power steering to be installed when needed.

John Danby, Chief Engineer of John Danby Racing, comments: "The NSX has been an exciting development programme for us. John Danby Racing will continue development of the car over the winter, and the team is looking forward to a successful 2010 season."

Driving a Motorsport Elise developed by John Danby Racing, the father and son partnership of David and Rob Fenn finished second in 2009’s Britcar Production Championship.

Car manufacturers in the west Midlands will be looking to build on ties with the Indian automotive industry when they visit the AutoExpo 2010 in Delhi next month.

According to the Birmingham Post, around 35 Indian-owned companies already have operations in the west Midlands and the regional delegation of industry experts and leaders is heading to the Indian capital in an attempt to attract more companies to the area.

Jerry Blackett, chief executive of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry told the Birmingham Post that the representatives would try to create new business by selling the west Midlands as a bridge to the European automotive sector.

"We have a highly skilled regional workforce and an impressive knowledge base in this sector, especially in low carbon vehicle technologies where we are making significant advancements," he added.

He went on to say that the automotive skills and talent of the industry will be on show in Dehli.

The Auto Expo was first held in 1986 and has now been established as a biennial event.

Autoquake.com has offered a number of driving tips to help motorists boost safety and keep the cost of driving on British roads to a minimum.

The company is hoping drivers will adopt the advice as New Year resolutions as they will also help make driving more enjoyable.

At the top of Autoquake.com’s New Year’s resolutions list is taking an advanced motoring test.

The organisation states a course in advanced driving techniques is the perfect way to "smooth off the rough edges and bad habits we all develop after a few years on the road".

Autoquake.com also supports checking a vehicle regularly, including oil levels and tyre pressures before embarking on a long journey.

The company has also highlighted the importance of getting a vehicle serviced on time.

"If money is tight, it’s tempting to put off the car’s next service. Don’t. Cars need some regular TLC to keep them working properly," the company said.

In January the VAT increase is expected to put further pressure on motorists’ finances as petrol prices will rise by around 2.5p per litre.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has welcomed the tough stance taken by the government on dangerous driving but claimed effective enforcement is still key to any clampdown on the practice.

According to the organisation, the majority of motorists are law abiding and will share IAM’s support for tougher sanctions against dangerous drivers.

"The key to ensuring that any new laws are effective in reducing deaths on the roads will be high profile enforcement,” said IAM policy director Neil Greig.

“Dangerous driving cannot be enforced by camera and more traffic police will be needed to catch those drivers who flaunt the law.”

The increased range of penalties available to the courts will allow prosecutors to punish criminals appropriately, the organisation concluded.

Earlier this month, the government increased the maximum penalty for dangerous driving from two to five years.

Meanwhile, ministers have been lobbying the government to introduce more 20-mile-per-hour speed limit zones in urban areas and cut the drink drive limit.

Carcraft is offering free servicing to motorists throughout the UK as they tackle the current treacherous conditions on the road.

Recent Post Office research has revealed that motorists are cutting back on maintenance, posing a threat to the safety of thousands of drivers across the country.

To combat this, Carcraft is offering a free Winter Safety Check – it takes just half an hour and covers brakes, tyres, exhausts, steering, windscreen, wiper blades, anti-freeze and screen wash.

Joe Conlin, the company’s service manager, said: "Whilst the check doesn’t take long, it’s all the time our expert technicians need to highlight areas of concern. It could make all the difference to a driver’s safety this winter. If any motorist is worried, I’d say come in and get checked out for free."

Yesterday (December 29th), the Met Office predicted more heavy snow over the next few days for parts of the UK, especially Wales and some parts of the Midlands. It warned that transport routes may be significantly disrupted as a result.

Carcraft – the UK’s largest used car hypermarket chain – says it has had huge sales at its 11 stores across the country since Christmas.

Predictions for the Christmas and New Year period were gloomy at first but with the current weather conditions across the UK 4×4s have been very popular, according to Carcraft sales director Mike Walsh.

He said: “Our choice of 7 flexible ways to pay coupled with our ‘drive away the same day’ facility is helping to ensure that motorists don’t have to wait for their new car too.”

The government’s scrappage scheme, which will cover up to 400,000 transactions and last until either February 28th 2010, or until the £400 million government funding runs out, may also have contributed to the high level of sales.

Carcraft’s Service Centres have seen a large amount of traffic following the recent snow falls and are promoting a New Year special offer of a free MOT when customers book an interim or premium service at the same time.

The introduction of the satnav has been named the most significant motoring moment of the last decade by Carsite.co.uk.

Ten significant moments from the first decade of the millennium were charted by the online used car retailer.

The list included the launch of the new Mini in 2001, the construction of Norman Foster’s Millau Viaduct in France which was finished in 2004, and the rise in private online car selling instigated by eBay Motors.

But satellite navigation units, introduced in 2000, came out on top for revolutionising the way drivers navigate on the roads.

Carsite’s Alistair Jeff said: "Despite occasionally hearing of satnav devices sending drivers in completely the wrong direction, in most cases they’re entirely accurate and a fantastic gadget that has totally changed the way we get around."

Google recently unveiled its free satnav for mobiles, which sent shares in satnav unit companies such as TomTom plummeting.

Less than half of motorists would confess to damaging a parked car, according to What Car?.

A Whatcar.com survey found that 37 per cent of drivers would readily admit bumping into a parked car, 45 per cent would be in two minds, while 18 per cent would definitely not admit to it.

Steve Fowler, What Car? editor, said: "Yes, repairing some parking dings can run into hundreds of pounds especially with more cars having painted bumpers and parking sensors. However, there are some clever repair systems that can cover up scrapes for a fraction of that cost these days."

It is a criminal offence not to stop and leave your details after an accident and is punishable by points of your licence, a fine or up to six months in prison, he added.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) recently offered advice to drivers to avoid skidding, as heavy snow has been predicted for some areas of the UK this week.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has published guidance for motorists using the internet to buy their car insurance.

Over two-thirds of customers are organising their car insurance online and the ABI hopes its guidance will assist customers in identifying the right policy for their needs by providing insurance comparison websites, insurers and brokers with good practice guides on the areas of policy information, add-ons, excess levels and referrals.

The guidance, which aims to make shopping online for car insurance clearer, has been developed by the ABI, the British Insurers Brokers Association, consumers’ association Which?, along with insurance comparison websites.

Dan Moore, from Which?, said: "Which? supports measures that will lead to greater transparency and trust, and will therefore benefit consumers. The ABI good practice guide is a step in the right direction, providing the recommendations made are monitored and enforced."

Car insurance has risen by nearly 13 per cent over the last year, according to Sainsbury’s Finance.