Author Archives: driveeuropenews

Two ways to Smolyan; OPC; Turbo

Daily newslog. Last updated 19:40

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No major disruption on the Channel, especially after LD Lines Dieppe-Newhaven got back on track. Torrential rain in central Europe, particularly east France, is the biggest issue tonight.

We round up Rhodope roadtrip in southern Bulgaria, and the other news from the day. Nothing major, apart from a worrying row about Greece/Turkey ferries. Oh, and we get a first look at everybody’s favourite Turbo:

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The new Porsche 911 Turbo revealed today: 520bhp, 140kg of downforce, 3° degree rear steer, 16% reduced emissions and 60 LEDs in the lights. The Turbo S has 560bhp.

The new Porsche 911 Turbo revealed today: 520bhp, 140kg of downforce, 3° degree rear steer, 16% reduced emissions and 60 LEDs in the lights. The Turbo S has 560bhp.

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TRAVEL/WEATHER:

Today’s LD Lines/ Transmanche sailings Dieppe-Newhaven-Dieppe from 18:00 (returning at 23:00) have been confirmed. The company also says (bad translation..), ‘We inform all passengers that due to à Fleamarket, the town center of Dieppe will not be autorise for all vehicle the 04 and 05 May 2013’.

No other Channel operators currently reporting any problems.

Amber – severe – weather warning for torrential rain in eastern France (moving towards north east France), south east Germany and east Austria; storms in east Hungary and southern Serbia, and high temperatures in northern Montenegro.

French authorities have now issued flood alerts for eastern France.

Europe Weather: ‘Thundery showers in south and central Europe, rain in the north.’

Dover Port this morning: ‘The ferry terminal is operating normally, sea conditions are slight, with a NW breeze, force 3 and the visibility is good’.

English Channel weekend weather from Condor Ferries: ‘The current forecast indicates slight sea conditions over the bank holiday weekend.’

This evening’s P&O Hull-Zeebrugge leaves an hour earlier than usual – now 17:30 – due to tidal restrictions.

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NOTES:

Jersey – ‘Condor Express will be escorted into Jersey today at 12:00 by Royal Naval vessels and helicopter in the run up to Jersey Boat Show! Jersey Boat show is taking place between the 4th and 6th May. Please allow extra time when travelling to Jersey port.’

Portsmouth – the A34 northbound will be closed between the junctions with the A303 & the A343, from 10pm – 6am between 29 April – 3 May (via @BrittanyFerries).

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NEWS & PHOTOS:

Two ways to Smolyan

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Extra picture from yesterday’s ‘Rhodope Roadtrip’ titled, ‘More than one way to Smolyan’ from Jon O’Shaughnessy, @HMCinBulgaria. FYI: they went via Pamporovo on the way down, and the other way on the way back. Mr O’Shaughnessy was tight lipped about exactly why he was in this beautiful part of southern Bulgaria, the Rhodope Mountains – other than ‘providing consular assistance in every corner of Bulgaria’ – but he did tweet a link yesterday to the UK Embassy’s advice pages on buying property in Bulgaria. ‘Looks idyllic,’ he said, ‘but problems for British investors.’ To see where this picture was taken on the map click here.

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London-Lisboa Rally successfully completed – no internet connection for the full results but the Baker boys won in their 911, second was Colton and Woodcock also in a 911 while in third place were Gerber and Kung in an Austin Healey Mk1.

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Gazprom’s Nis Petrol in Romania expansion

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Serb oil company Nis Petrol is moving further into the Romanian fuel retail market having opened its first filling station last December. Majority owned by Russian giant Gazprom – the rest is Serb state-owned – two more stations will open on the Bucharest-Pitesti highway in July with another 45 due to open this year. Nis Petrol will be Gazprom’s retail brand in the Balkans. Existing competitors include Lukoil, Petrom, OMV, Agip and MOL. Nis Petrol already runs 500 stations in Serbia and Bosnia. Read this recent interview with the Nis Petrol CEO.

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Greece/ Turkey – a row has highlighted the delicate balance in travel between Greece and Turkey. The two countries share a land border in the north, which is open, but the only way to sail from the Greek mainland to Turkey is on two separate boats changing at Rhodes. The final leg to Marmaris takes one hour and costs around €110 per car, plus about €45 for each passenger. The Turks have taken offence after one of their captains was refused entry to Rhodes port. One to watch.

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Italy – car insurance has dropped by nearly five percent over the last six months according to a survey.

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Controversial live animal exports are to resume from Dover. Read the Farmers Guardian sober appraisal here.

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More revelations to come about the demise of TransEuropa Ferries last week, particularly concerning its complex ownership/ management structure, says This is Kent. DFDS says it is already benefiting from TE’s bankruptcy as Dunkirk is now the closest port to the Belgian border, at 30 miles. The only ferry to Belgium from the UK is now P&O Hull-Zeebrugge.

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Buyers are lining up for Scandlines, the Baltic operator, according to reports. Currently part-owned by UK private equity firm 3i. The offers come despite the upcoming Fehmarn Belt railway tunnel, due 2021, which will literally undermine the company’s business between Denmark and Germany.

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OPC, Official Porsche Cake

To celebrate the 911's fiftieth anniversary

Official Porsche Cake, to celebrate the 911’s fiftieth anniversary. Wonder how they get their icing so shiny.

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Rhodope roadtrip; Vienna Summit; popular Piraeus

Daily newslog. Last updated 18:00.

TRAVEL/WEATHER:

18:00 new amber – severe – weather warning for torrential rain in eastern France.

P&O Hull-Zeebrugge tomorrow. @POferriesupdate: ** SAILING UPDATE**  Please be advised due to tidal restrictions the Hull – Zeebrugge sailing for 03.05.13  will be sailing ONE HOUR EARLIER.

LD Lines/ Transmanche Dieppe-Newhaven-Dieppe tomorrow still to be confirmed: ‘The next crossing from Dieppe will be on Friday 3rd May 2013 at 18h00. The next crossing from Newhaven will be on Friday 3rd May 2013 at 23h00. For further information please call 0800 917 1201 ( free phone).’

No other Channel operators currently reporting any problems.

Amber severe weather warning for high winds central Norway, also storms in east Austria, west Hungary, west Slovakia and north west Serbia. And high temperatures in Montenegro.

European Weather: ‘Heavy showers in central and southern Europe, but fair to the north‘

From Dover Port 16:00 – ‘The ferry terminal is operating normally, sea conditions are slight, with a N breeze, force 5 and the visibility is good.’

English Channel weekly weather from Condor Ferries: ‘The current forecast indicates slight sea conditions for this week.’

P&O Dover-Calais: not suffering any knock on effects from earlier tech hitch.  ‘Please be advised that due to a technical problem the Dover – Calais 10h15 sailing today has been cancelled.’

Condor Ferries this morning: ‘We are currently experiencing high call volumes due to a promotion launch. Please bear with us at this time & we apologise for any inconvenience.’ (It’s a day trip special offer for Jersey and Guernsey residents).

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NOTES:

Portsmouth – the A34 northbound will be closed between the junctions with the A303 & the A343, from 10pm – 6am between 29 April – 3 May (via @BrittanyFerries).

Italy/Switzerland – Lake Maggiore, concerns over water level, and other lakes in Ticino, southern Switzerland. Continuing to increase albeit at reduced rate. Click here for latest.

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NEWS & PHOTOS:

There’s a chance to get a grip on the entire infrastructure plan for the whole Balkan region, and their way of doing business, at The Balkan Infrastructure & Construction Summit in Vienna at the end of the month. Ministers from the six former Yugoslav countries will make presentations, plus the European Commission, World Bank, etc. Of the two days, starting 29 May, only the first includes road building, specifically Bosnia’s construction of the express road Corridor 5C, transportation developments in Serbia and the tender for Montenegro’s road building programme. Price €1,645. Not that this should make a difference but the venue is the impressive Palais Leitenberger SAS Radisson hotel on the ring road around the city centre. Rooms from €194.

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Rhodope Roadtrip, Bulgaria

What car is this do you reckon? Land Rover Discovery?

What car is this? We’re betting Land Rover Discovery.

Jon O’Shaughnessy, Consul at the British Embassy in Sofia, is on the road today (click for the route). The drive started in Asenovgrad (pop.55k), 12 miles south east of Bulgaria’s second city Plovdiv, at the foot of the Rhodope Mountains. Popular tourist destination with Asenova Krepost (Asen’s Fortress) on a rocky outcrop and Bachkovo Monastery, one of 78 religious buildings. The Rhodopes are 150 miles long and 75 miles wide lying east-west across southern Bulgaria and just over the border with Greece. The terrain is Karst, limestone rock worn away by ground water into steep gorges, massive caves and naturally formed ‘bridges’. Between the ski resorts of Cepolare and Smolyan the road passes Golyam Perelik, the highest peak at 7,200ft. The final stop for now is Rudozem, six miles from the Greek border, to see some ‘industry in the mountains’.

– follow the trip at @HMCinBulgaria

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Greece – passenger vehicle traffic at Piraeus, Athens’ port, also the biggest in Greece, is up 40% over last year. Ferries go to 38 different Greek islands from Piraeus though not all are car ferries. Nearly 11,000 cars departed for the Aegean islands alone over the holiday weekend.

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Serco ‘Nazi’ logo

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Northern isles ferry operator Serco-Northlink is in trouble over its ‘Nazi’ logo (above). It’s not the raised arm that’s causing offence but the heroic Viking image, apparently similar to that used in Nazi propaganda. Surely you’d have to be a Nazi fanatic anyway to know that?

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Smart machinery on display at SMMT Test Day

It's the annual SMMT Test Day at the Millbrook Testing Ground in Bedfordshire today, when real motoring journalists get to drive the full range of cars available to buy in the UK - yes, even McLarens as seen here. But it‘s the truck that catches our eye: the New Actros from Mercedes-Benz which develops 625bhp and 2,200lb/ft of torque from its 15.6 litre six cylinder engine.

It’s the annual SMMT Test Day at the Millbrook Testing Ground in Bedfordshire today, when real motoring journalists get to drive the full range of cars available to buy in the UK – yes, even McLarens as seen here. But it‘s the truck that catches our eye: the New Actros from Mercedes-Benz which develops 625bhp and 2,200lb/ft of torque from its 15.6 litre six cylinder engine.

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The best roads in central Italy (says Lamborghini)

Lamborghini marks its fiftieth anniversary next week with a 750 mile, five day Grand Tour through central Italy.

If Lamborghini thinks these are the best roads in the region then who are we to argue?

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The route: south west from Milan across the Ligurian Apennines to the coast and on down to Rome. Returning along the centre of Italy, past the mountains and lakes of the Central Apennines – on roads made famous by the Mille Miglia – to finish at the Lamborghini factory in Sant’Agata.

The cars: open to all Lamborghinis. Hundreds expected. The cars spend each night under guard on display in one of the main squares in the towns visited.

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Milan – Forte dei Marmi, 154 miles

The first leg is south east from Milan across the Ligurian Apennines to the coast.

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Lunch is at the 7th century Saint Columbanus Abbey in Bobbio described as one of Italy’s prettiest villages, in the Trebbia River valley which Hemingway said was ‘the most beautiful in the world’.

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The last 120 miles includes the Forcella Pass in the Aveto Natural Regional Park before stopping at Forte dei Marmi, the classic Dolce Vita resort surrounded with pine forest, and a party in the nightclub ‘La Capannina di Franceschi’ open since 1929.

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Forte dei Marmi – Rome, 242 miles

A drive through Maremma, one of Italy’s most beautiful holiday spots – described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘a pristine rural landscape along an unspoilt coastline – and the Upper Tyrrhenian Coast alongside the islands Elba, Giglio and Capraia.

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Dinner is at the 8th century Complesso Monumentale di Santo Spirito at Sassia in Rome.

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Rome – Bologna, 241 miles

The cars parade through Rome then from Via Flaminia pick up Via Cassia, the Roman road running through the centre of Italy.

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They drive past Italy’s highest lake Lago di Vico to Orvieto, perched on a sheer cliff face.

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Lunch is at Il Borro in San Giustino Valdarno, on the ancient Strada dei Sette Ponti (Road of the Seven Bridges) between Arezzo and Pontassieve.

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In the afternoon drivers tackle SP65, parallel to the A1 motorway between Florence and Bologna, the road made famous in the Mille Miglia road races. SP65 includes the Futa and Raticosa Passes and is still used to test new Lamborghinis and Ducatis.

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Bologna – Sant’Agata, 29 miles

The final day is a gentle 30 mile drive and final Gala dinner at the Lamborghini factory in Sant’Agata.

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We’re fairly sure the Lamborghini Grand Tour is now fully booked. Price €5,500 for one car and two people though each leg can be bought separately. We should also point out that the vast majority of the course is on motorway with detours to lunch stops and the famous roads. Click here for more information.

Thanks to @Autonwz – a great Twitter feed for interesting car and driving events around Europe.

Senna; London-Lisboa; P1 in Arjeplog

Last updated 21:00

In remembrance of Ayrton Senna who died 19 years ago today.

In remembrance of Ayrton Senna who died 19 years ago today. Photo via @TheFifthDriver official McLaren F1 feed (now @McLarenF1).

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TRAVEL/WEATHER:

updated: LD Lines Dieppe-Newhaven says, ‘We regret to inform you that due to technical problems the departures from Dieppe and Newhaven are cancelled. The next crossing from Dieppe will be on Friday 3rd May 2013 at 18h00. The next crossing from Newhaven will be on Friday 3rd May 2013 at 23h00. All passengers reserved on this departure could be tranferred to our Calais-Dover route. For further information please call 0800 917 1201 ( free phone).’

No other Channel operators currently reporting any problems.

Amber severe weather warning for thunderstorms in Steiermark, south east Austria. Storms in southern Austria generally. Now moved into south east Germany, see Twitter feed, right.

European Weather: ‘Unsettled southern and Central Europe as winter transitions to spring’. Fine and dry in north.

This afternoon from Dover Port: ‘The ferry terminal is operating normally, sea conditions are moderate, with a ENE breeze, force 5 and the visibility is good.’

English Channel weekly weather from Condor Ferries: ‘The current forecast indicates slight sea conditions for this week.’

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NOTES:

Happy May Day – May 1 is a public holiday across much of Europe. Many British Embassies and Consulates will be closed today, some for the rest of the week. Check local FCO Twitter feeds for out of hours service details.

Turkey – @UkinTurkey says, ‘Demonstrations occur throughout Turkey on 1 May. British Nationals should avoid all demonstrations.’ Particular fears over demonstrations in Taksim Square, trouble reported already. Heavy police presence. Click here for more.

Greece – no ferries due to Labour Day strikes (1 May). See here and here for more info.

Bulgaria – normal holiday congestion on the E79 south from Sofia towards the Greek border will be compounded by road works and Greek public sector strikes – update: Congestion has been reported but the Greek border is open.

Portsmouth – the A34 northbound will be closed between the junctions with the A303 & the A343, from 10pm – 6am between 29 April – 3 May (via @BrittanyFerries).

Italy/Switzerland – Lake Maggiore, concerns over water level. Continuing to increase albeit at reduced rate. More rain expected today and tonight before brightening tomorrow.

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NEWS & PHOTOS:

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London-Lisboa progress report

hero cra day 5

It’s day five of the London-Lisbon Rally, across north Spain from Burgos to Leon. ‘Sunshine first thing, then fog into snow and now rain!’ reports @HERO_CRA.

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McLaren P1 in Arjeplog (watch the video)

More pictures of the new McLaren P1 in final testing in Arjeplog, arctic Sweden ahead of first customer deliveries.

More pictures of the new McLaren P1 in final testing in Arjeplog, arctic Sweden ahead of first customer deliveries ‘in a few months’.

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New Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, revealed accidentally on the company's Austrian website, now removed, but not before BlogAutomobile.fr got their hands on it.

The brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, revealed accidentally on the company’s Austrian website, now removed, but not before BlogAutomobile.fr got their hands on it. Due to be officially unveiled on 15 May and on sale by the end of the year.

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Former porn star Sasha Grey, now building a career as a serious actress, will drive a Lada Kalina in this year’s 5,600 mile Vladivostok-Moscow rally according to reports. Unfortunately reminiscent of singer and former Page 3 pinup Samantha Fox’s disastrous appearance at a music festival in Cacak, Serbia in 2007. Feisty Ms Fox wasn’t happy when it became clear she was expected to perform topless. To be fair, the Vladivostok-Moscow rally organisers didn’t demand anything unreasonable of Vladimir Putin when he headlined a few stages, also driving a Lada Kalina, two years ago.

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Land Rover Defender at 65: still gorgeous

The Land Rover Defender is sixty five years old today. It is as good now as it was then.

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Precisely 2,008,179 Land Rover Defenders have been sold since the first one left the production line in Solihull on 30 April 1948. That’s 85 sold every day since.

Precisely 2,008,179 Land Rover Defenders have been sold since the first one left the production line in Solihull on 30 April 1948. That’s 85 sold every day since.

First built to replace the American ‘Willy’s Jeep’ used by designer Maurice Wilk on his land in Anglesey. The first sketch was made in the sand on Red Wharf Bay.

First built to replace the American ‘Willy’s Jeep’ used by designer Maurice Wilk on his land in Anglesey. The first sketch was made in the sand on Red Wharf Bay.

Not thinking of retirement. The biggest endorsement is that the same car is still in use on some of the world’s harshest terrains today. These Land Rover Defenders were pictured last week in Kyrgyzstan, central Asia, about to embark on some mountain adventure (photo: @LeighTurnerFCO). Clearly, nobody wants to drive anything else.

The biggest endorsement is that the same car is still in use on some of the world’s harshest terrains today. These Land Rover Defenders were pictured last week in Kyrgyzstan, central Asia, about to embark on some mountain adventure (photo: @LeighTurnerFCO). Clearly, nobody wants to drive anything else.

The special edition Land Rover Defender LXV (65 in roman numerals) built to commemorate this anniversary comes in black or white, with grey roof and grille, leather seats with contrast orange stitching and is available in all five Defender body styles. Prices available in August.

The special edition Land Rover Defender LXV (65 in roman numerals) comes in black or white, with grey roof and grille, and leather seats with contrast orange stitching.

The LXV is available in all five defender body styles. Prices to be released in August.

The LXV is available in all five Defender body styles. Prices to be released in August.

The occasion was marked with an event at Packington Estate at Meriden, between Coventry and Birmingham, the testing ground for the original and used until the 1970’s.

The occasion was marked with an event at Packington Estate at Meriden near Solihull, the testing ground for the original and used until the 1970’s.

The Defender’s important milestone is reached as the company celebrates record monthly and quarterly sales figures. That has a lot to do with the smash hit Range Rover Evoque, but with brand new versions of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport due on sale - and exciting ideas for the next generation of Defender - the Land Rover brand has a long way to go yet.

This important milestone is reached as Land Rover celebrates record monthly and quarterly sales figures. With exciting ideas for the next generation Defender in the pipeline, it’s far too early to think about retirement yet.

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Click for more on the Land Rover Defender

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NL v UK RTA; Alps murder police hunt RHD 4×4; DFDS flash sale; Caspian Sea hwy

Last updated 18:30

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TRAVEL/WEATHER:

LD Lines says, ‘We regret to inform you that due to a technical problems the 19h30 departure from Dieppe is cancelled. The next crossing on the 01 May 2013 at 18h00 is to be confirmed. From Newhaven the – 08h30 departure (01/05/13) is also cancelled. All passengers reserved on this departure have been tranferred to our Calais-Dover route. For further information please call 0800 917 1201 ( free phone).’

No red or amber weather warnings in Europe all day, but @HERO_CRA on the London-Lisboa Historic Rally reported heavy rain and snow on the France/Spain border this morning.

European Weather: ‘Very warm across the Balkans, improving across Spain. Dry and mild in the north.’

No other Channel operators currently reporting any problems.

English Channel weekly weather from Condor Ferries: ‘The current forecast indicates slight sea conditions for this week.’

From Dover Port this afternoon: ‘The ferry terminal is operating normally, sea conditions are moderate, with a ENE breeze, force 5 and the visibility is good.’

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NOTES:

Netherlands – Queen Beatrix abdicates today in favour of her son Willem-Alexander, soon to be Willem III, the Netherlands’ first king since 1890. ‘Orange fever’ has already swept the nation: don’t expect to get much done today; expect everywhere to be busy. Click for BBC coverage.

Sweden – not to be outdone it’s Walpurgis Night tonight (30 April), ahead of one the four biggest annual holidays in Sweden tomorrow. Expect lots of bonfires. Click for TheLocal.se coverage.

Portsmouth – the A34 northbound will be closed between the junctions with the A303 & the A343, from 10pm – 6am between 29 April – 3 May (via @BrittanyFerries).

Greece – no ferries due to Labour Day strikes tomorrow (1 May). See here and here for more info.

British Embassies and Consulates – many European UK offices will be closed tomorrow for the holidays, some for the rest of the week. Check local FCO Twitter feeds for out of hours service details.

Istanbul – perhaps avoid Taksim Square in the city centre tomorrow. Heavy police presence expected for possible for May Day Rally. Click here for more. @UkinTurkey tweeted this afternoon, ‘Demonstrations occur throughout Turkey on 1 May. British Nationals should avoid all demonstrations.’

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NEWS & PHOTOS:

The new Range Rover Sport meets the new range Rover head-on at the Packington Estate, Warcs, as the company celebrates 65 years since the first Land Rover Defender.

The new Range Rover Sport meets the new range Rover head-on at the Packington Estate, Warcs, as the company celebrates 65 years since the production of the first Land Rover Defender, 30 April 1948.

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Netherlands – road deaths were slightly down in 2012 according to Statistics Netherlands. Cyclist deaths in the Netherlands however remained at 200, a high level compared to 2007-2010. The UK and Netherlands vied for second fewest road fatalities in the EU on all three measures in 2010 (the latest comparative figures) with Sweden taking the top spot (ERF, p54). This is interesting as Transport for London trials the ‘Dutch roundabout’ with separate lanes for cyclists next year. The annual UK road safety statistics will be published in May.

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Ferry – DFDS are celebrating the Dutch ‘Queen’s day’ with a flash sale – including 33% off selected Dover-Dunkirk crossings. Book today!

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Lada and I showing the cone who's boss at a Vodafone safe driving event today in Hungary - @JensonButton

‘Lada and I showing the cone who’s boss at a Vodafone safe driving event today (yesterday) in Hungary’, says Jenson Button. Don’t ask him how it compares to his MP4-28. @JensonButton

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France – police investigating the brutal murders of al-Hilli family near Lake Annecy on 5 September last year are searching for the driver of a right-hand drive 4×4 ‘particularly a grey, black or dark coloured BMW X5’ spotted near the scene. This is the first we’ve heard of a UK-registered car being involved.

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Calais – nobody seems terribly impressed by a €350m plan to turn Calais into ‘the freight gateway to the UK’ and rival to nearby Rotterdam, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Antwerp and Zeebrugge by 2018. Eurotunnel recently withdrew its controversial bid to run Calais Port.

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Spain – A Dutch man arrested in Granollers north east Spain last week had allegedly launched ‘the biggest cyberattack in internet history’ from the back of his fully tooled up van. Officials described the vehicle as ‘a mobile computing office, equipped with various antennae to scan frequencies’. Read more.

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Russia – authorities have made four arrests as part of a corruption investigation into the M-6 Caspian Highway. The 860 mile road runs south east from Moscow to Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea via Volgograd. $1 million meant for maintenance has allegedly been misappropriated. This is the latest police action to tackle what is commonly thought to be the most corrupt Russian business sector.

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A new image of the McLaren P1 hypercar testing in arctic Sweden. Watch the film here.

macca.

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Driving down to Dubrovnik more difficult this summer

Croatia joining the EU in July means stricter border checks across the Bosnian land corridor, a popular crossing for tourists driving down to Dubrovnik.

update: 24 July 2013, see below.

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Rebuilt border crossing points each side of the Bosnian sea corridor in Croatia opened yesterday.

Five lanes each side, at Klek and Zlaton Doli, might help cut down queues but will also give officials opportunity to perform better border checks.

Currently, tourists – especially in locally registered hire cars – are often waved through (see below) despite technically not being insured to drive on this short section of Bosnian territory.

This is the well trod route for tourists visiting the Croatian annexe in the south that contains Dubrovnik, the most popular destination on the Adriatic.

After Croatia joins the EU on 1 July, its borders with Serbia and Bosnia will also now be the outer border of the EU itself. There is no word yet on what effect the new crossings will have but judging by the new arrangements on other Croatia-Bosnia borders, checks are likely to be thorough.

Most likely, foreign registered vehicles will have to buy insurance, see below.

There is an alternative. The Jadrolinija car ferry from Ploce to Trpanj on the Peljesac Peninsula bypasses Bosnian territory. It takes an hour and costs under £15 each way.

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Note: the legal position for driving across Bosnia’s Neum Corridor is murky. Bosnia and Croatia signed the Neum Agreement in 1998 which allows for Croatian registered vehicles to pass unhindered through this part of Bosnia. The agreement however was never ratified, by either side, i.e. this so-called Transit Corridor does not exist though it was, until 1 July, observed in practice (at least for Croatian cars).

Officially, other EU nationals need to buy an insurance policy to drive across the Neum Corridor. That might sound ridiculous for just a few miles but then so does a lifetime’s earnings in accident compensation for the sake of a few quid. In May 2012 we paid 150HRK (£17) for five days cover, third party only, in Bosnia. Read about the Windy500’s recent experience driving across Neum here, just a few days before Croatia joined the EU.

Whether or not you can find somewhere to buy any insurance is another question… On other borders with Bosnia, insurance offices line the road each side. Most likely they will start to appear at Klek and Zlaton Doli soon.

We’ve been keeping an eye on the situation since 1 July and haven’t heard anything particularly untoward, apart from long queues at the weekends…

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French speed camera map; Danube 2 delay; late ski offers; Portugal fuel up

Last updated 21:30

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Amber – severe – weather alert for thunderstorms on Sardinia.

European Weather: quite a bit of rain and wind around but warm and sunny from the Adriatic east.

No Channel operators currently reporting any problems.

English Channel weather from Condor Ferries: ‘The current forecast indicates slight sea conditions for this week.’

Today’s sea conditions from Dover Ferry Port: ‘The ferry terminal is operating normally, sea conditions are moderate, with a ENE breeze, force 5 and the visibility is good.’

Amber severe weather alert for high winds, central Slovakia and for snow/ice over 900m in Madrid and Segovia regions, Spain. Madrid itself is cold and rainy today.

Revised schedule today for Condor Vitesse Poole-Guernsey-Jersey-Poole as they fix an engine problem. Leaving Poole at 13:30 NOT 14:00. See here for details.

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The 1965 Project50 racing 911 alongside a modern 991 in the same livery. Project50 has been built to celebrate the 911's 50th birthday in September. Photo: Twitter/ PorscheGB_PR

The 1965 Project50 racing 911 alongside a modern 991 in the same livery. Project50 has been built to celebrate the 911’s 50th anniversary and will compete in several old timer races this year driven by some famous drivers, including Richard Attwood. Photo: Twitter/ PorscheGB_PR

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France – motoring organisation ’40 millions d’Automobiliste’ has compiled a list of 72 sneaky speed camera locations from its members so far, in an on-going project. Read about it here (in English) or see the interactive map here (in French). A bombscare at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris this lunchtime, which saw the famous roundabout evactuated, turned out to be a false alarm..

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Romania/Bulgaria – The inauguration of the brand new Danube 2 bridge between Romania and Bulgaria has been postponed. Read our story on the ins and outs of this significant new piece of infrastructure for the region. Danube 2 was to have opened for Europe Day on 9 May – by European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso – but will not now open until 15 June. The reason for the delay is unclear as a long running dispute over the toll revenues has now been solved. To cross by car will cost €2 each way, click for more.

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Bulgaria – with a bumper Easter public holiday from 1-6 May this year, Bulgarian police will be keeping a closer eye on the roads than usual. Hotspots for congestion will be the E79 south from Sofia, the Koulata-Promahon checkpoint on the border with Greece and the Danube Bridge between Rousse (Ruse) and Giurgiu in Romania.

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Skyline - ‘When you have a car like this, sometimes it’s best to stop and enjoy the view’ @NissanMotorCo. Not certain this is Europe.

Skyline – ‘When you have a car like this, sometimes it’s best to stop and enjoy the view’ @NissanMotorCo. Not certain this is Europe.

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Ultra late skiing – ski resorts Tignes and Val Thorens in south east France both have enough snow to stay open until May 12 says The Connection, with great last minute deals for families.

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Portugal – Fuel prices are on the rise again after consistent falls in recent weeks says Portugal News. The latest AA European fuel price survey for April has Portugal unleaded at €1.60 and diesel at €1.42. Cheapest in western Europe as ever is Luxembourg at €1.34 and €1.23. Fuel prices have been falling across Europe recently, including the UK. Will be interesting to see if prices start to rise again.

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Ferries – Finnlines’ new freight service starting to July will link Finland and Russia with the UK, France and Spain. For car passengers, Finnlines runs services around the Baltic. For the Russia bound, the company sails between Lubeck in northern Germany and St Petersburg, stopping at Sassnitz on Ruegen island and Ventspils, Latvia.

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Cute little bugs: Mini Rally in Ashrdige, Hertfordshire. Yesterday

Cute little bugs: Mini Rally in Ashridge, Hertfordshire. Yesterday

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Prague – A ‘powerful explosion’ in Prague this morning, on Divadelni Street in the south west of the city centre, on the banks of the river – injuring at least 40 people – has probably been caused by a gas explosion says RFE on Twitter @RFERL. Click here for BBC. Traffic on the main routes in central Prague has not been unduly affected.

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London-Lisboa is go; Slovenia truck tolls; Greece/Bulgaria border dispute

Daily Brief 27 April 2013. Final update 18:15. See @DriveEurope for the latest, or Traffic/Travel/Weather

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Amber – severe – weather warning for thunderstorms northern Italy and now south east Germany, and high winds in western Austria.

Condor Ferries’ earlier technical hitch has recurred; Condor Vitesse is currently running 50 mins behind schedule. Click here for latest.

No other Channel operators currently reporting any problems.

Weather forecast: cloud and showers in the north and west, sunny in central Europe and the south east.

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Bulgaria/Greece – local reports say a group of Bulgarian citizens staged a flash blockade at the Ilinden-Exochi border crossing this morning over alleged heavy handed tactics by Greek police. The protest could be repeated next Saturday if demands are not met.

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London-Lisboa is go. Historic rally kicks off at Greenwich.

photo: Twitter/ @HERO_CRA

photo: Twitter/ @HERO_CRA

The epic London-Lisboa historic rally kicked off this morning from Greenwich. Over fifty cars will take part in the 2386 mile competition which includes 37 tests. The cars include a 1930 Austin 7 Ulster, 1930 Riley Brooklands 9HP, 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS. The rally is open to cars built before 31.12.83.

The route through France, Spain and Portugal takes in St Malo-Poitiers-Pau-Burgos-Leon-Ourense-Vila Real-Caramulo-Lisbon. Organised by the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation (HERO) the event lasts until 5 May. Follow the action on Twitter @Hero_CRA, or click here.

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P&O – An intriguing special offer from P&O – a mystery discount of up to 50% when using the code SPHPUPMZL2. Book by 26 May for travel before 18 May.

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Cars – Interesting piece from Automotive News Europe suggesting the UK’s recession-defying growth in new car sales could be to do with the Payment Protection Insurance refunds.

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Family holidays – AOL Cars reports with some incredulity on the Hampshire family that drives to and from Turkey each year for their annual holidays. Dad is quoted saying, ‘I could get on a plane and be there in four hours, but what have I gained from that?’ Quite.

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Spain – Comprehensive round up of the charms of Cantabria in the Daily Telegraph. The northern Spanish coastal region, capital Santander, is apparently the world’s richest region in Late Stone Age archeaological sites. The writer also used Brittany Ferries’ www.CantabriaByCar.com website. Brittany Ferries sails to Santander (and nearby Bilbao) from Portsmouth and Plymouth. Currently advertising fares to Santander from £384 each way.

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Slovenia truck toll tender

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Slovenia is to have a second attempt at a nationwide electronic truck toll system. The tender closed yesterday with only one firm bidding, Austria’s Kapsch TrafficCom, according to reports. A previous tender was cancelled in the economic crisis. Trucks are currently subject to electronic (and cash) tolls in Slovenia but the scheme is not nationwide. Car drivers have to buy a vignette toll sticker to use the motorways and expressways. Prices start at €15 per week, click here for more details.

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What we know about the Jaguar F-TYPE

The reviews are in. Customer test drives are on-going. First deliveries are due in the next few weeks. We round up the facts and feelings about the new Jaguar F-TYPE.

front

The 485bhp V8 S is a monster.

‘Imagining F-Type V8S powertrain planning meeting,’ says Pistonheads’ Chris Harris, ‘Give it enough power to make the average driver s**t himself, that should do it.’ Autocar’s Steve Sutcliffe calls it ‘a proper old-school hotrod and no mistake.’ Mark Walton in Car magazine describes it as, ‘A scary, rear-drive, oversteering monster, that’ll have you gripping the wheel like a boa contsrictor strangling a goat.’ The Daily Telegraph’s Andrew English said, ‘You need constant vigilance.’ The acronmym TVR has cropped up quite regularly in F-TYPE reviews.

the drivers car

It’s the driver’s car.

The entire dashboard is cordoned off from the passenger. All they have to do is hang on.

bonnet

The fate of the entire company does not rest on the success of the F-TYPE.

Production is limited to 7,000 units a year by the specialist process used to make the bonnet. That’s a quarter of 911 sales, 10% of the global market for this type of car and 10% of the projected total Jaguar sales for 2013. They should be able to manage that. But it begs the question, how can they make a coupe version?

© Twitter Chris Harris @HarrisMonkey

© Twitter Chris Harris @HarrisMonkey

There’s no room even for a space saver tyre.

It will be amusing to see what happens when this gets out. Judging by the letters page in the Sunday Times Drive magazine every week there’s nothing middleclass petrolheads like less than the lack of a full size spare tyre. That there is no space even for a space saver tyre in the F-TYPE should have the froth fleckling nicely.

v6s back

The boot anyway is not massive.

Most of the negative comment so far has been aimed at the boot. One tester described it as ‘ludicrously shallow’ another as ‘inexplicably puny’. But at 196 litres the F-TYPE’s boot is a third bigger than the Mazda MX-5’s, so that’s okay then. Anyway, an awkwardly shaped boot is a good excuse to invest in the fitted luggage set, though curiously Jaguar doesn’t seem to sell them, yet.

wide

It’s wide.

The F-TYPE is wider even than its supposedly big brother XK.

top

Great balance.

The V6 and V6 S models have perfect 50:50 front-rear weight distribution. The V8 S has 50kg more on the front axle. The centre of the F-TYPE is in line with the occupant’s knees.

3q

It’s not a touring car

Blustery above 70 mph, no boot space, cut off from the passenger, width, hardcore dynamics. The F-TYPE might well make the most amazing touring car – several testers have noted its high speed stability – but it clearly hasn’t been designed with romantic holidays in mind.

rear 3q

It’s not an Old Man’s Car

There is no doubt about this whatsoever. The F-TYPE customer is middle-aged at worst, only a couple of years out of a Subaru Impreza WRX. Definitely not looking to retire soon.

Click here for more about the Jaguar F-TYPE.