Car production increased for the fifth successive month as March saw a record rise of 90.2 per cent.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which show comparisons to the same period last year, revealed a sharp rise in production, while the home and export markets also increased markedly.

Output for the home market more than doubled, with 32,245 vehicles produced, taking the year-to-date total to 87,155.

Meanwhile, the production of engines rose 43.6 per cent, in line with the average growth for the year so far, which is 41.9 per cent.

Commercial vehicle output was also up by 61.6 per cent, with the home market in such vehicles seeing a huge rise of 149.3 per cent.

Paul Everitt, chief executive for SMMT, said: "Headline figures highlight the scale of challenges faced this time last year, but also demonstrate a steady improvement in demand in home and export markets."

The growing production of new cars has not stifled the used car market, with demand growing last month, according to British Car Auctions.

Under-inflated tyres are costing European motorists four billion litres of fuel each year, What Car reports.

According to research by tyre manufacturer Bridgestone, 81 per cent of motorists across the continent are driving on under-inflated tyres.

The drag caused by tyres that are not properly inflated leads to fuel wastage on a huge scale, and the collective cost is a frightening £4.6 billion worth of fuel.

Over 52,000 cars were checked in 15 European Union countries as part of the research, with 26.5 per cent having wheels which were inflated well below the car manufacturer’s recommended pressures.

And there are other implications too, as low pressure tyres increase fuel consumption, the impact on the environment is also greater, with Bridgestone calculating the waste is equivalent to 9.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Protyre recently advised motorists to regularly check their tyre pressures, especially before setting off on a long journey.

Cooper Avon has confirmed it is in talks with Formula One bosses over the possibility of supplying its tyres to the sport next season, Reuters reports.

The UK-based manufacturer is rumoured to have been the subject of an approach by the sport’s boss Bernie Ecclestone at the Chinese Grand Prix last Sunday (April 18th).

A spokesman for the company confirmed the talks in a statement: "As a major motorsport tyre manufacturer Cooper Tire, through its Avon Tyres Motorsport operation, has been approached to supply Formula One."

Formula One is on the lookout for a new supplier after Bridgestone announced it would not be extending its deal, bringing to an end 14 years of involvement with the sport.

French company Michelin is also in discussions to become a supplier for next season.

According to Xtrac, some car parts from Formula One cars could be applied to road vehicles to enhance their performance.

Motorists can now take directions from Billy Connolly as his voice now features on TomTom’s satnav systems.

The Scottish comedian has lent his inimitable voice to the devices and it is available to download now for those who want navigation tips from with a twist.

Anyone who downloads Billy’s voice will be greeted with the following message: "This really is Billy Connolly. It’s not the creepy guy you get on cheap birthday cards. It’s my real voice. No swearing, no dirty bits, I’ll keep you safe."

Over 40 million people own a TomTom, and Users will have to pay £8.99 for the pleasure of being guided by the Glaswegian’s brogue tones.

He joins a host of other famous voices available for download, including fellow comedian John Cleese, actor Burt Reynolds and former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Carsite.co.uk rated the introduction of the satnav as the single most significant motoring moment of the last decade.

Car manufacturers have suffered from the volcanic eruption in Iceland which has seen flights grounded for several days, Auto Express reports.

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, located in the south of the country, has caused chaos for many, and the motor industry has not escaped unscathed.

With flights suspended since last Thursday (15th), some companies have seen their supply of car parts cut off, leading some to announce a halt to production.

Nissan has suspended production of some vehicles in Japan owing to a lack of air pressure sensors, which are manufactured in Ireland, the car news and reviews website said.

Also affected is BMW, which has suffered as a result of stock being grounded in Germany, meaning its Spartanburg plant in the US is running short of suppliers, the site added.

BAA announced this morning (April 21st) that its airports were open, but "it will take some time for flying schedules to return to normal".

Hockenheim will host the Volkswagen Scirocco R Cup this weekend (April 23-24) and five stars of the motorsport world will take to the track in Germany.

World rally champion Carlos Sainz will top the bill in the inaugural round of the competition, and he will be joined by British duo Derek Bell and Martin Brundle, with Frank Biela and Jacques Laffite completing the line up.

The Scirocco R models are fitted with 2.0-litre four-cylinder TSI engines which run on bio-CNG, meaning carbon emissions are reduced by 80 per cent compared to normal engines.

Between them, the five racing superstars taking part in the event have racked up an impressive list of achievements, including 343 Formula 1 Grand Prix stars, a Dakar Rally title, two World Rally Championship titles and the British Touring Car Championship.

Volkswagen recently gave its Touran model a new look and a new engine, which it unveiled at the Leipzig Motor Show.

Two London entrepreneurs are claiming to have launched the world’s first neighbour-to-neighbour car rental service, reports the Telegraph.

Under the scheme, drivers who don’t own a car but occasionally require one can hire their neighbours’ vehicles for a fee.

WhipCar offers a website for motorists to register their cars for hire, and those on the lookout to hire one can search their area for availability and make a booking.

Fees range from £7 an hour to for a Vauxhall Astra to around £53 a day for a BMW 320i, and it all helps to tackle the problem of thousands of cars sitting unused, the news provider said.

"For the first time, anywhere in the world, would-be drivers can get rental access to the car next door, literally."Vinay Gupta, founder of the venture, told the Telegraph.

All hire prices include the cost of insurance, which will cover the driver for the duration of the hire period.

Renault and Electronic Arts have announced a deal that will see the car manufacturer’s electric vehicles appear in a computer game.

The Sims is one of the most popular games in the world, and under the multi-year agreement, players will be able to download Renault’s Twizy Z.E. Concept car to play around with in the virtual world of The Sims 3.

Perks within the game, which sees players take control of a simulated person, known as a Sim, include positive repercussions for a player’s in-game family as their virtual household bills will fall.

"Electric vehicles are additionally going to appeal to younger, more socially conscious prospects and especially early adopters. This is the heartland of The Sims community", said Stephen Norman, senior vice president of global marketing for the Renault Group.

The French manufacturers recorded the largest market share gain in total car, van and fleet sector sales in March this year.

Used car sales enjoyed another healthy month, according to the latest figures from British Car Auctions (BCA).

Year-on-year values rose by 3.7 per cent and, although prices did fall from the previous month by 2.8 per cent, this was because a greater number of cars were sold in the lower value sectors.

In addition, all three used vehicle product sectors saw an increase in average values, with Nearly New sales rising by 1.4 per cent to a new record value of £19,197.

BCA communications director Tony Gannon said: "This month’s figures show the used car market is currently underpinned by plenty of demand across the board, suggesting a good level of confidence in the early part of the year."

Adrian Rushmore, managing editor at Glass’s, a provider of used car valuations, predicted earlier this month that the forthcoming general election would slow down the used car market.

In the build up to the 2005 election, used car sales fell by about ten per cent, and Mr Rushmore anticipates this trend will be repeated this time around.

SEAT is launching a retail offer which will save car buyers up to £2,000 on a range of its Ecomotive models.

Labelled ‘Eco-nomics’, the initiative offers significant savings on the Spanish car manufacturer’s most environmentally-friendly cars.

Motorists can continue to save money after purchasing one of SEAT’s Ecomotive models as they are cheaper to run than less eco-friendly cars.

The company predicts that a customer who buys its Leon Ecomotive SE will save a total of £4,300 over a typical three-year period, based on driving 45,000 miles and including the £2,000 saved on the initial cost of purchase.

In addition, the now Leon Ecomotive model is exempt from road tax as a result of its low carbon emissions, just 99g/km, making it one of the cleanest cars on the road.

Recent figures from Clean Green Cars revealed Toyota to be the most environmentally-friendly car manufacturers, with average emissions of 124.55g/km across its range.