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| Strip trick |
A Russian gang has found a novel way to steal cars - they simply hire groups of strippers, who arrive at Moscow's man-made beach and remove all their clothes.
As passing motorists stop by the side of the road and get out to take a closer look, distractedly leaving their keys in the ignition, the thieves jump in and drive away.
Drivers of luxury cars seem to be particularly susceptible to the stripping scam. |
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| Fiat swims English Channel |
An Italian mechanic is planning to cross the English Channel in a Fiat Panda car.
Part of an attempt to drive from Dover to Italy without the use of boat or train, the Panda Terramare 4 is based on a basic Panda 4x4 but has been fitted with an inflatable flotation belt and a waterjet propulsion system. It has already had a dip in the Italian lakes, but crossing the 26-mile body of water will be its first real test of seaworthiness. |
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| Blind spot |
A blind man who was convicted of dangerous driving admitted being behind the wheel of a car that touched 56 kph on a British road.
The Iraq-born driver explained that he had been following instructions on where to steer and when to brake from a passenger who was already banned from driving. In his defence, the driver said that his intention was to test his driving abilities. |
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| Wwwacky website |
Ever wondered how to pitch a pop-up tent? Or how to make gnocchi? Or how to apply false eyelashes?
Well, all the answers are now on a new website, www.videojug.com, whose motto is 'life explained, on film' which sets out to fill the gaps friends and family can't. Launching this month, the site is made up of a thousand how-to video clips divided into sections such as health, culture, sport and food, which even includes an instructional video showing how to make a good meal for your dog when he's having a ruff day. |
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Volume 11.10
October 2006 |
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Hello Welcome to the October issue of fleettorque, brought to you by Fleetcare!
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Blue sky thinking |
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 BMW is set to introduce the world's first production hydrogen-powered car, a 7-Series Beamer that produces no nasty emissions at all. The green 7-Series uses a conventional internal combustion engine that can run on both petrol and hydrogen. Although in hydrogen mode it takes a leisurely 9.5 seconds to accelerate to 100km/h - nearly four seconds slower than the BMW 760Li - and the top speed isn't nippy either, coming in at around 230km/h, the big advantage is that the car doesn't pump out any noxious fumes, just eco-friendly water vapour.
The Hydrogen 7 will hit the European and American markets early next year, but because there is no hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in place or planned for the future in Australia, the Hydrogen 7 is unlikely to ever appear here. |
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Cheers to the cuppa |
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 European nutrition experts have found a 'new' superdrink - the surprise is that it's your morning cup of tea. New evidence suggests that drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits.
Researchers for the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition believe that flavonoids are the key ingredient in tea that promote health. These polyphenol antioxidants are found in tea leaves and have been shown to help prevent cell damage - cutting the chances of having a heart attack, possibly protecting against cancer, fighting tooth plaque and strengthening bones. |
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Ford Transit |
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 Five million 2001 model Ford Transits were sold around the globe, so it's high time that this favourite had a facelift. But the new model Transit has been completely rebuilt inside and out, with vertically-oriented headlights, two-bar grille and a bold bonnet, hiding a choice of a petrol, or two diesel engines. There are now three seats in the cabin, the controls have been made to feel more car-like, the storage capacity has been increased and there are even front-wheel-drive Transits - in short and medium wheelbases - to drop the cargo floor lower to the road.
Ford Australia is importing the new Transit in no fewer than 10 colours, priced from $32,990 for a front-wheel-drive short wheelbase 2.2-litre turbo diesel. |
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Take our survey and help us look after Australia |
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 In October, Fleetcare will be conducting its 2nd Annual Driver Survey. It lets us know what you think about a variety of issues, gives you a chance to win some great prizes and it's also a bit of fun.
What's more, for every survey completed, Fleetcare will donate $1 to Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA).
CVA makes a fantastic contribution by protecting and enhancing our Australian environment through its extensive volunteer network. In 2004/2005 (their last official stats) they facilitated 105,825 days of volunteer work and planted over 750,000 trees in urban, regional and remote communities across Australia. A massive effort you'd agree. To find out more about CVA or to become a volunteer yourself, please click here.
As a fleettorque recipient you will automatically be sent an email inviting you to participate. Good Luck! |
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Style in spades |
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 It may be an unusual way to unveil a new look, but attention was certainly drawn to the redesign for the Smart Fortwo when this full-size sand sculpture was unveiled as part of the finale to the German beach volleyball championship at Timmendorfer.
Carved by three-times world sand sculpting champion, Russian Pavel Zasanyok, it clearly shows the subtle new look of the city car - revised door handles, fresh wheel designs, updated lights and a longer front overhang. Using special sand to withstand rain and wind, Zasanyok took nearly a week to complete the model, the real version of which is set for release in Europe next summer.
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