News in brief

25th May 2007

Sales of Ford diesels rose 24 per cent in 2006, taking total engine production at the Dagenham site in Essex to one million - largely due to the new 1.4 and 1.6-litre TDCi units. At present, the plant makes Ford's entire range of four-cylinder diesels, plus Land Rover's 2.7 TDV6 and 3.6-litre TDV8.

DVLA's 57-plate meanz business
The DVLA has launched eight-million registrations ahead of the introduction of the 57-plate later this year - and it's using the Heinz 57 Varieties slogan to promote the choice on offer. Buyers can pick from bean-related numbers such as BE57 ANZ, SA57 UCE and HJ57 HNZ. Preview the latest plates at www.dvla-som.co.uk before they go on sale.

VOSA crackdown on truck drivers
Law-breaking HGV drivers will be kept off the road thanks to a new device being used by the Vehicle Operator and Services Agency (VOSA). Officers now have PDA-style computers which link them direct to the VOSA database. This allows them to check on the spot if a driver has ignored a previous warning about exceeding their hours behind the wheel.

Peugeot steals president's show
The star of France's presidential inauguration ceremony wasn't the country's new leader, Nicolas Sarkozy, but his car. The Peugeot 607 Paladine is a one-off from coachbuilder Heuliez, with an interior by fashion designer Hermes. It debuted at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, but this was its first public outing on the road.