Hello , welcome to the April issue of Fleettorque, brought to you by Fleetcare! |
| Dig in for the Diggers! |
 ANZAC Day wouldn’t be ANZAC Day without the bickies, but do you know how they came about? Well, during World War I, the Australian soldiers’ wives and girlfriends were concerned that their boys weren't getting the nutrients they needed, so they came up with the recipe for a biscuit that was packed with as much goodness as possible that wouldn't spoil on the long journey to the front. This was no mean feat, but they managed to create a tasty snack to sustain the troops as they fought. Although originally called Soldiers’ Biscuits, the name was changed to commemorate the landings at Gallipoli, and the Country Women’s Association, church groups, schools and other women’s organisations devoted much of their time to making them and sending them to the front in used airtight containers, such as the famous Billy Tea tins.
Remember our ANZACs this ANZAC Day by baking your own biscuits. Click here to view the recipe...
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| Biofuels explained |
There’s a lot of talk about biofuels, but what are they and can they really help save the environment?
Put simply, biofuels are renewable fuels made from plant or animal products or by-products. Those most familiar to us at the moment are E10 and biodiesel. E10 is actually a biofuel blend, made from 90 per cent unleaded petrol and 10 per cent ethanol, which is produced in Australia from wheat starch and molasses. Thanks to the plant content of the fuel, E10 reduces a vehicle’s green house gas emissions by four per cent and its exhaust emissions contain far less carbon monoxide, benzene and butadiene than regular fuel.
 Biodiesel is a biofuel made from renewable materials such as tallow, canola oil, used cooking oil or palm oil, which is blended with diesel in various proportions, from two per cent to 20 per cent, depending on the intended use. It can also cut green house gas emissions by up to 15 per cent.
The good news is that E10 is suitable for most new cars, vans and utes and many older models too, and two per cent biodiesel (such as Caltex New Generation Diesel) can be used to run all diesel vehicles. To find your local E10 fuel provider visit Fleetcare Finder To read more about biofuels click here... |
| Think before you drink |
Stay safe this long weekend – don’t drink and drive. The freeway gantries will be flashing up the ‘don’t drink and drive’ message this long weekend and with very good reason. Every year a quarter of accidents on Australia’s roads are caused by drivers who are over the legal blood alcohol limit, and as soon as there is a public holiday, the statistics start to soar. It’s no surprise that the roads and traffic authorities in every state will be advising drivers to steer clear of alcohol this ANZAC Day, or leave the car at home. |
| Volvo XC60 |
Volvo’s first foray into the compact luxury off-road market is the XC60, a soft-roader that is packed with new technology that makes it just as safe to drive in town as it is out in the sticks. In fact, it comes fitted with Volvo’s innovative City Safety system, which is designed to reduce nose-to-tail crashes in heavy traffic on urban streets. Using sensors fitted to the top of the windscreen to view the road ahead, City Safety can even apply the car’s brakes to avoid a crash.
 Designed to compete with the BMW X3, Land Rover Freelander and new Audi Q5, the Volvo XC60 has all the characteristics of the famous Swedish brand, but on a grand scale. Even the revised Volvo badge is bigger than ever before. The styling is bold and authoritative on the outside, while inside is very much driver-centric, with all the controls tilted towards the steering wheel for ease of use.
When it arrives here in September, the XC60 will be offered with a choice of engines, including a 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder and a 2.4-litre diesel.
To find out more about the Volvo XC60 visit the Volvo Cars website. |
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History of April Fools The history of April Fools Day is uncertain, but according to April Fools R Us, the day began around 1582 in France with the introduction of the Gregorian calender under Charles IX. The new calender meant New Years Day was moved from March 25 - April 1 (new year's week) to January 1. As communication travelled slowly in those days, some people were not aware of the change until years later. Others that refused to acknowledge the change were labeled 'fools' and were sent on 'fool errands' and had practical jokes played on them. To read more visit the website here... |
BMW runaround BMW is to build a new city car, and has formed a team called Project ‘i’ to develop it, the company has let slip. Apparently, BMW’s designers are beavering away on a ‘completely new car and mobility concept for megacities,' according to its chairman. The ‘i’ stands for innovation, and the development team have a free-ranging brief to examine all kinds of technology, although BMW has revealed that one of these will definitely be battery power. |
Senior moments Tokyo’s seniors are to be offered incentives to hang up their driving gloves after Japanese police identified that elderly drivers were to blame for 100,000 accidents last year. Those who do agree to hand in their licences are to be entitled to a range of rewards, from a higher rate of interest at the bank, to free delivery from a famous department store and a 10 per cent discount on meals at a top hotel restaurant.
Japan’s population has the largest proportion of over-65s in the world and the number of road accidents they have caused has doubled over the past decade. |
Wwwacky website It’s April Fool’s Day today and if you haven’t thought of a way to trick your friends or workmates yet, you might find some inspiration at the Museum of Hoaxes website. This site has some classic crackers, so beware the April fools! |
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