Toyota has said it hopes to have fixed 90 per cent of the 1.7 million cars it recalled in Europe earlier this year by the end of July, Auto Car reports.

Work started on the mass recall in January, and the Japanese manufacturer has since inspected one million Auris, Avensis, Aygo, Yaris and Prius models.

With two-thirds of the total now processed, Toyota is optimistic that it will rectify the problem in over 1.5 million of the affected vehicles, but admits it will not be able to fix the lot as some people have not responded to the recall notices.

A spokesman for the company explained: "In the UK… we expect completion will reach around 95 per cent, even though we have sent three letters to each customer," the car news provider adds.

The problems faced by Toyota this year have lead to a decrease in the company’s market share, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Police in Midlands have a new weapon in their fight against unruly road users as the first ever police-spec Jaguar XF is ready to go on patrol, reports Carpages.co.uk.

Several high performance vehicles have been purchased by the Central Motorway Police Group, which patrols motorways across Staffordshire, Mercia and the West Midlands.

Based on the award-winning Jaguar XF Diesel S model and containing the same engine, the tailored vehicles feature a roof mounted light bar and Home Office-specification ‘police pack’ along with a white flashing LED lights inside the front grille.

Geoff Cousins, managing director for Jaguar Cars UK, said: "Police drivers demand the very best from their vehicles – power, performance, safety and comfort are all very important, while their fleet managers are looking at good environmental credentials and strong residual values to ensure value for money."

Earlier this year, Jaguar unveiled the fastest ever version of its supercharged XKR coupe at the Geneva Motor Show, the new vehicle can hit speeds of 174mph.

The majority of children feel safer in a car when their mum is driving, according to GEM Motoring Assist.

Research by the road safety organisation found that six in ten kids aged five to 16 felt happier and more relaxed with their mum in the driving seat.

But the findings were not so good for Britain’s dads, as 83 per cent of kids said they drove too fast, while other complaints included a lack of patience and too much aggression.

Meanwhile, mums were considered less likely to succumb to road rage and more considerate to other road users. And to top it off, kids also said that mums have nicer cars.

David Williams, chief executive officer of GEM, said: "It is important that children do not see their parents driving aggressively as this could have a long term effect on what they see as ‘the norm’."

A study by RoadSafe claimed women are more reluctant to take risks when driving, making them less likely to be involved in a crash.

The majority of UK motorists are more concerned about the cleanliness of their car than the state of its tyres, research has shown.

A survey by fast.MAP, on behalf of MyTyres.co.uk, found that while 80 per cent of motorists admitted to regularly cleaning their cars, less than half have checked the tread depth of their tyres in the last month.

Even fewer have kept an eye on their spare tyre, with just 30 per cent of respondents saying they’ve checked it in the last three month.

Remarkably, one in five confessed to never having checked their spare tyre at all.

A spokesman for the website said: "Whilst it is not illegal to have a spare below the legal 1.6mm tread depth, it does become illegal the moment it is fitted to the car.

"A regular check of the spare takes but a few minutes and could save a lot of problems should motorists suffer a puncture".

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

Cars are the top target of aggrieved spouses looking for revenge on a cheating lover, according to a new survey by Autoglass.

The windscreen repair specialist polled 3,000 people and found that women were more likely than men to get even with a cheating partner, while ten per cent admitted they would target their man’s car.

But when it comes to how far they would go for payback, it depends on age. While the majority of 19 to 21-year-olds said they would just damage the paintwork of a car, the older generations said they would go a bit further.

Twenty-two to 25-year-olds are more likely to smash the windscreen in order to make their point, while 31 to 35-year-olds are more open to the idea of selling their spouse’s pride and joy on ebay for a few pence.

Nigel Doggett, managing director of Autoglass, said: "In the UK most people won’t turn the other cheek when it comes to infidelity and as the car seems to be one of the prime targets for getting even, this poll should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of straying."

Research by RoadSafe showed that women are safer on the roads and less likely to take risks when driving.

Motorists in the north are the most likely to fall victim to a staged accident, according to Direct Line.

The insurer conducted research into accidents which are caused intentionally by fraudsters looking for a payout or compensation, the Telegraph reports.

Every year the vehicle insurance industry pays out £350 million on fraudulent claims, leaving innocent motorist to pay an average of £44 in additional premiums, the news provider revealed.

Centenary Way in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, was said to be the worst location for staged accidents, with other hotpots for such activity appearing at junction five of the M65 in Lancashire, and on Cavalry Way in Burnley.

Although they occur less frequently in the south, staged accidents were relatively commonplace on the Denham roundabout on the M40 in Buckinghamshire, with another roundabout in Hemel Hempstead not far behind.

When it comes to genuine accidents, a survey by GEM Motoring Assist found that 50 per cent of drivers had experienced a crash or near-miss after swerving to avoid a pothole.

Warm weather can take its toll on cars, but the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has offered advice to drivers on how to look after theirs.

Peter Rodger, IAM chief examiner, said: "After a long winter of wear and tear through snow, salt and potholes – and now volcanic dust – your car will be in need of a little TLC. Being prepared for the summer and making checks now can save you a lot of money in the long run."

The motoring body suggested five helpful hints, starting with the advice to thoroughly clean the car as residual salt can corrode the bodywork.

With the UK pollen season starting season, a replacement pollen filter is described as "a vital investment," while servicing the air-con will also help along with improving the smell of the car.

Topping up the washer fluid was also on the list, as flies will soon become a problem for motorists, and old wipers blades should also be replaced as they can mark the windscreen.

The IAM is a charitable organisation which supports the raising of driving and riding standards and campaigns for increased on-road skills.

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.

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.

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.