A Vauxhall Corsa driver was amazed in Nottingham recently when a pet rabbit emerged from her car engine when it was taken to a local garage.
This is Nottingham reports that Anita Smith took her vehicle to the garage because it was suffering problems with its heating.
However, when mechanics at the garage took a closer inspection they discovered the animal curled up in the engine.
It is believed the rabbit could have been there for a few days and despite it being there as Ms Smith completed her routine drives to and from work, it was found to be uninjured.
Ms Smith told the publication: "I was in shock. When they undid the screws and the guard at the front this black-and-white rabbit came out."
The rabbit, called Tallulah, was found to belong to her two-year-old neighbour.
Back in 2002, it was reported that a rabbit survived a 75-mile car journey between Portsmouth and Poole in Dorset after making itself comfortable within a car’s engine.
Although Vauxhall has been slow to attach itself to the new green approach to driving, headway has been made with the new Vauxhall Corsa, according to a reviewer.
Phil Lanning states in the Sun that the new Corsa Ecoflex takes a different approach to the green incentives undertaken by other manufacturers.
Rather than change aerodynamics or bring in low rolling-resistance tyres, Vauxhall has simply introduced a greener engine, Mr Lanning remarks.
A tweak to the 1.3-litre diesel engine has meant that the Corsa now emits under 120g/km of CO2 without compromising on other areas, as they have not been changed from the traditional Corsa offering.
Meanwhile, Mr Lanning adds that motorists will struggle to better the 62.8 miles to the gallon achieved by the Corsa, while there is the additional choice of three trim levels.
Overall, he states that it is a "very good car" that is impressing him more on a daily basis.
According to the BBC TV show Top Gear, the Corsa is "one of the best superminis around, and a looker with it".
Used Vauxhall Corsa and used Vauxhall Astra fans have helped the manufacturer to become the UK’s best selling brand during February.
For the second time in three months, Vauxhall is the leading brand for new car registrations across the UK, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
The manufacturer recorded a total of 9,372 vehicle sales during the month, with the Corsa, Astra, Insignia and Zafira all making the list for the top ten best-selling models.
Of these, the Vauxhall Corsa proved to be the most sought-after thanks to the sale of 2,856 vehicles.
Andy Gilson, Vauxhall’s marketing director, said: "This is proof, if proof were needed, that the Vauxhall brand is as strong as ever in the British car market."
He added that the manufacturer was also optimistic that sales would remain strong during March now that the latest ’09′ registration plate is available.
Top Gear concluded in the past that the Corsa "is one of the best superminis around, and a looker with it".
Used Vauxhall Corsa owners may wish to contemplate upgrading to a newer model in order to decrease the cost of their car insurance, new findings have revealed.
Price comparison website moneysupermarket.com has found that motorists driving a 2008 Vauxhall Corsa could make significant insurance savings over those in a 1999 model.
The finding was based on a 35-year-old male driver, who could pay as much as 20 per cent less for their car insurance on the most recent vehicle.
Andy Leadbetter, managing director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com, said: "For many motorists the cost of insurance will often be one of the deciding factors before taking the plunge to buy a new car."
"When it comes to favourites like the Vauxhall Corsa it is interesting to see that it is cheaper to insure a 2008 model than one five or ten years older."
The website also states that motorists may wish to consider changing car insurance provider in a bid to gain a cheaper quote.
Motorists buying a diesel Corsa will be driving a vehicle that "is a pleasant performer with light, precise controls", Andrew Frankel has stated in the Times.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has opted for a fleet of 25 Vauxhall Corsa vehicles to help complete safety work across the county.
The vehicles will support a range of fire investigation and safety work that is to take place across the county, as well as the boroughs of Halton and Warrington.
Hayden Day, transport manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Providing our staff with access to communities across Cheshire and in Halton and Warrington means that they often have to travel considerable distances.
"It is vital therefore that our vehicles are reliable, energy efficient, economically friendly and comfortable – and the Corsa fits the bill very well."
The fire and rescue team covers an area consisting of over 400,000 homes, with a population coming close to one million.
Graphics containing a cautionary message were also added to the vehicle in an effort to raise and enhance safety messages.
A review of the Vauxhall Corsa by BBC television show Top Gear stated that it "handles well" and has "good interior".
Motorists looking for a small car which still offers some degree of space should look past a used Vauxhall Corsa and instead plump for the newest vehicle in the range, a reviewer has concluded.
Writing for the Northern Echo, Nigel Burton states the new Corsa "scores instant brownie points" because compared to a used car in the range, far more space is offered in the required areas.
A new bonnet gives the car extra length, which helps it fit in with new crash regulations, but to ease this burden Vauxhall have made the right changes, according to Mr Burton.
He explains that the windscreen has been stretched forward to help the car become more "fashionable", while it has a "fetching face" as a result of new big headlights.
Furthermore, Mr Burton states that on the inside, the controls are "well laid out" and on the whole the "cabin looks good", despite the slightly over use of plastics.
Overall, he concludes that the Corsa "deserves to do well".
According to Top Gear, the Vauxhall Corsa "handles well" and is "one of the best superminis around.
New car registrations in August were down by almost a fifth when compared to the same month in 2007, it has been revealed.
According to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), just 63,225 new vehicles were registered over the course of the month.
This represents an 18.6 per cent drop on 2007′s figure and is the lowest number recorded since 1996, with industry figures citing low consumer confidence as the principal factor behind the downward trend, which is being mirrored across European markets.
The SMMT’s statistics also showed that, though sales of diesel-powered vehicles was down over the period, their market share continued to grow, with the VW Gold diesel the strongest car in this category, which has been given a boost by consumers looking to cut back the cost of running a car amid rising oil prices.
"As consumers tighten their belts and move to more efficient models, diesels remain an effective choice," a spokesman for the group told the BBC.
This drive for efficiency was reflected in the fact that the Vauxhall Corsa and the Ford Focus, both small cars, were the two biggest selling models in August.
Vauxhall has announced that it is to revive the Corsa SRi model after an absence of two years.
Describing the car as on the UK’s "best-love hot hatches", Vauxhall said that the new SRi will offer motorists a combination of "great looks and affordability".
The manufacturer expects the SRi to boost the appeal of the Corsa range, with two new specifications on offer – the 150PS turbo 1.6-litre engine and the 125PS 1.7 diesel.
Including a front spoiler, body-coloured side sills, alloy wheels, chrome sports exhaust pipe and a tailgate spoiler, the new model is also aimed to provide "incredible levels of driving excitement".
The petrol engine ensures the engine races from zero to 60mph on 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 130mph, while the diesel model delivers an "impressive" rate of zero to 60mph in 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 121mph.
In related news, Vauxhall recently reported that by the end of August it had sold 215,115 new cars so far this year.
The SRI badge, which Vauxhall describes as "legendary", will return to the Corsa range this year, the manufacturer has announced.
Scheduled to arrive in showrooms in the autumn, the Corsa SRI is designed to appeal to those buyers who appreciate the style and capabilities of the VXR but don’t require its full performance potential.
Petrol versions of the SRI will be powered by the turbocharged engine found in the VXR model, taking the car from 0-60mph in 7.6 seconds and to a top speed of 130mph.
A sports chassis, which has been lowered by 18mm at the front and 15mm at the rear, forms the base of the car.
The Corsa SRI’s power will also be kept in check with power steering featuring variable progressive feedback, meaning that the weight of the steering adjusts electronically in response to the road.
A front spoiler, deep side sills, 17-inch alloy wheels, a chrome sports exhaust pipe and tailgate spoiler characterise the look of the revamped Corsa, along with sports seats and alloy pedals on the inside.
The new model will be available to order from June 23rd before being fully launched in three- and five-door form in September.
Vauxhall has announced that the engine in its new Corsa CDTi model will save hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions as well as thousands of pounds in collective tax payments for drivers.
The 1.3-litre CDTi engine cuts emissions from 124g/km to 119g/km, which Vauxhall says will have "great consequences" for owners, who will see their annual tax cost fall from £115 to £35.
Furthermore, the new models are also expected to be exempt from the London congestion charge, if proposals for 2008 are approved.
This engine unit is the latest innovation that Vauxhall has made in recent times, with new high-efficiency powerplants recently introduced to improve the CO2 outputs of the popular Astra and Vectra models.
"General Motors is investing heavily in alternative fuel strategies for the medium and long term. Today, we are making reductions in CO2 emissions wherever possible on our most popular model lines," said Bill Parfitt, Vauxhall’s managing director.
"This has a dramatic effect when considering the scale of our sales operations and also has an important benefit of saving our customers money."
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