The Skoda Fabia, with its simple, sturdy appearance is not only an eye-catcher – it’s a darned good little car to boot. The tall body induces a feeling of lavish spaciousness inside and, for a small vehicle, it gives an amazingly quiet ride. The engine is very well insulated and the suspension can make you feel that you’re driving a cloud. The adjustable driving position adapts to all heights and body-girths and the seats are comfortably firm. There are abundant interior storage options, better than average boot space and relatively generous leg room all round. It only comes as a five door hatch, but its modest external dimensions make it an ideal city run-around, enabling you to slip into the tightest parking spaces whether at the side of the road or in a multi-storey.

The engine is not a charging stallion, but then such a beast would be jarringly out of place in a car like this. The basic model is a 1.2 litre, 60 bhp petrol, which does struggle to get to the 60 mph mark; but your inner Lewis Hamilton will not be providing the motive for selecting this car in the first place. There are, however, progressively livelier engines on offer: 1.4 litre petrol and diesel, a 1.6 litre petrol and a 1.9 litre diesel. The latter two are certainly spirited enough for more zippy acceleration.

The car handles surprisingly well, with steering that has a certain softness to it which makes you think you’re driving a much bigger car.

Prefix registrations are easily recognisable by the single year identifying letter at the beginning of the plate, which is followed by one, two or three digits and three letters. An example of a typical prefix registration plate is T9 WTB.

Originally, the final three letters were used to identify where the registration was issued. In the case of this example, the WTB indicates that it originated from Liverpool.

The numbers in prefix registrations have no other purpose than to differentiate one registration plate from the hundreds of others with the same prefix and suffix letters.

The prefix on this type of registration plate is used to identify the year the vehicle was manufactured. With regards to the example registration, T9 WTB, the ‘T’ identifies the year of manufacture as 1999. An ‘A’ prefix identifies the year 1983, B identifies 1984 and so on. From 1999 onwards, there were two registrations released each year. The prefix letter format ended with the Y registration in 2001. There were no I, O or U prefix registrations, while the ‘Q’ prefix indicates that the age and origin of the vehicle is unknown.

Prefix number plates can only be applied to a vehicle of the same age or older and it is not possible to use a prefix registration to make your vehicle appear more recent than it is. Therefore, the example registration T9 WTB could be used on a vehicle manufactured in 1999 or later. It could not be applied to any vehicle manufactured prior to this date.

More and more people choose to spend all or part of their year living abroad with nearly half a million migrating all around the world in 2008, some to seek out better weather, some for tax purposes and some for business and family commitments.

If you are living in a European country and find that you are frequently travelling to and from the UK by car it can be worthwhile to think about what car you drive, as many people lack confidence when driving on foreign roads. Most of Europe drives on the right hand side of the road and the UK on the left so driving a right hand drive car on European roads that you are unsure of can be quite daunting, so it can be worthwhile visiting a left hand drive car London dealer and purchasing a car to drive both here in the UK and across Europe. With being more confident on the roads here in the UK it won’t take too long to get used to a left hand drive car, then when you cross over the channel the adjustment will be a bit easier than in a right hand drive car.

When looking for a car for use both at home and abroad a specialist left hand drive car London dealer is the best to visit, with a wide range of cars available from Europe at better prices than the right hand drive counterpart, you will be able to find the car for you. As well as the choice you will also get peace of mind from buying from a UK dealer able to understand easily all the requirements needed to drive both here abroad as well as all documentation professionally completed in compliance with vehicle regulations.

Inspired by the Volkswagen Golf, this chunky hatchback has an unmistakeably American machismo about it, which some may find a little brash, comical or off-putting. It looks more like an SUV than a hatchback at first sight. This reviewer happens to rather like its appearance, however; if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, perhaps quirkily appealing retro-eccentricity is, too.

Whilst it clearly doesn’t like cornering above modest speeds, it does offer a very cushioned and comfortable general ride. One can’t help noticing, however, the somewhat feeble suspension. Combined with the front-wheel drive design, the score for handling doesn’t really get out of the mediocre range. With that said, despite its slightly lumbering appearance, the 2.0 litre diesel reaches 60 mph from stationary in a creditable 8.8 seconds.

For a solid-looking, larger than average hatchback, the Caliber is a tad disappointing vis-à-vis the amount of space it delivers; whilst not cramped, you expect more than you actually get when you clamber inside. The boot space, though, is exceptionally generous. The car also is more fuel efficient than it looks, and its CO2 emissions are by no means unrespectable.

Passers-by will notice it as you drive along, but you may not be altogether sure that you’re always attracting looks of admiration. As American-spec cars go, however, it isn’t bad, even though it would be exaggerating to claim it as taughtly engineered beauty.

In 2008, the demand for Mazda cars from leasing companies and contract hire in the U.K. increased by two-thirds. These rocketing orders have placed the brand and the newly appointed Director for Fleet and Remarketing of Mazda Company, Peter Allibon, in a positive mood for the coming year.

A strategic overturn from Mazda’s short-term daily leasing business was offset with the increase in ‘true’ sales fleet to end-user fleets and leasing. This strategic reverse accelerated the sales to 6,000 units for the previous year from 4000 units in 2007; such is a record breaking phenomenon.

The company’s director is confident that in spite of changing and tough economic conditions, the significant and increasing demand for Mazda will still continue. This is evident with the coming of the revised Mazda6 in the showrooms that also sees the pioneering onset of diesel engine capable of loading 2.2 litres. Its derivatives are realigned with the specifications on both Mazda2 and the newest Mazda3 among other models scheduled for lease in 2009.

Mazda was also successful in bucking the total double-digit fall in the sales of new cars. Mazda also secured remarkable successes among fleets in the public sector and among retail customers during the previous year. Additionally, the company’s new initiative, which is intended to encourage driving schools to purchase Mazda’s new supermini, has been successful too.

Mazda is focused on cost management; thus it expects to maintain its fine reputation for car delivery with strong and competitive wholelife costs and residual value, respectively.

The market for personalised registration plates continues to grow worldwide and this is particularly true for those affluent members of society who are willing to pay extraordinary amounts of money to secure their dream plates. However, in addition to being mere status symbols, such plates are often considered unique investment opportunities.

Single number registrations, which are available in some countries, carry a particular prestige, especially the number 1, which is unique and bestows the owner with a certain degree of kudos.

Here, we take a look at some of the most expensive plates purchased around the globe.

In February 2008, the registration ‘1′ sold for a staggering £7.25 million in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Only slightly less popular were the numbers 5 and 7, which sold, again in Abu Dhabi, for £3.5 million and £1.58 million respectively.

A registration bearing the number ‘18′ sold in Hong Kong for £1.56 million.

One of the most expensive registrations purchased in the UK was F 1, which went for over £440,000, while S 1 sold for just over £400,000

Personal name initials always prove popular choices for registration plates. This would explain why 51 NGH was purchased for £254,000 and MR51 NGH sold for £101,050

RU55 ELL was purchased, presumably by or for someone named Russell, for £79, 314.

Quentin Wilson, a former ‘Top Gear’ programme presenter, has commented that the purchase of a personalised registration is, “better than money in the bank.”

Cute without quite making it to sexy, this effervescent little number is made of good quality stuff for an entry level model. It floats over minor bumps with grace and ease, as though it thinks itself a BMW or a Merc of much grander scale, and it will take you on longer jaunts than the average city run around in relative comfort. Like a Cavalier’s house riddled with priest-holes, the Nissan Micra has numerous hidden compartments for extra storage. The rear seats slide cunningly forward to increase boot space, too. For a small car, it’s surprisingly spacious: every cubic centimetre has been thought about carefully.

The Micra is also built from all the right stuff: it’s sturdy and laden with high-quality specs, and it just feels safe to drive. Moreover, the steering is tightly accurate, the chassis deceptively good, road grip is superb and there is virtually no detectable roll. The car comes in a broad range of engines but the 1.5 litre diesel is probably the best, which compares well with the petrol varieties for acceleration but squeezes an impressive 60 miles out of every gallon of fuel.

Whilst it’s definitely more cosy than cool, more friendly than feisty, it has an appealing cheekiness about it and strong performance credentials which make it truly attractive.

Individuals looking for a personalised registration plate can use the DVLA site, or there is a range of registered dealers who have their own websites. This allows anyone to search online, at their own convenience, to locate the ideal plate.

Personalised registration plates vary greatly in terms of cost. Anyone looking for a plate consisting of a three-letter combination will find that they are readily available and are generally quite affordable. However, registration marks with only one or two letters are rare and as such, can be much more expensive.

The market is huge and there is no end to the options available. At any one time there will be millions of combinations available to search through. Of course, you are limited if you have one particular registration mark in mind, as each one is unique. Also, many marks no longer exist, as when a vehicle is scrapped or written off, the registration mark is no longer in use and not available for purchase.

If you are looking for something specific from a personalised registration plate, remember that names and initials are always in high demand. However, many use this unique format to showcase their hobbies and interests or to promote their businesses.

It is also common for purchasers of personalised registrations to seek to hide the age of their vehicle. Many registrations can do this for you, but you cannot make your car appear newer than it really is. Northern Ireland registration marks can also be transferred onto UK mainland vehicles. Many of these contain the letters I and Z, which UK plates do not; this opens up many more combinations of letters and numbers.

As with any major purchase you need everything to be in place when you decide on a left hand drive vehicle London, or wherever as there are many things that have to be considered before the vehicle is on the road. Many left hand drive vehicles are imported and it is essential that you are sure that all the paper work is in order and that you have not found yourself with a “grey” import. Using a specialist left hand drive vehicle London based dealer is the best way to go, long established and well versed in the necessary paper work required if this has been imported for you.

A left hand drive vehicle London operator will have a workshop where your vehicle can be thoroughly checked, if necessary an MOT certificate issued and all documentation put in hand. It is worth noting that if you intend to take the car out of the European area, you may be eligible for a tax and duty free left hand vehicle. Naturally, if you are intending to use the vehicle in this country at all, you will require it to be insured. There are specialist companies that will cover this for you, do not go down the standard insurance route. Here your left hand drive vehicle London based dealer will have contacts in the insurance field that will offer competitive quotations. Make sure that you contact that left hand drive vehicle London based operative and be safe and sure with your new purchase.

Beneath its clothes, the Aygo shares exactly the same mechanical foundation as the Peugeot 107 and the Citroen C1. As a city car on the smaller end of the spectrum, it manages not to feel poky, although the limited boot space (139 litres) is a little disappointing. In fairness, this can be expanded to 751 litres with the 50/50 folding rear seats flattened; but the boot’s high lip makes loading and unloading more effortful than it needs to be. And whilst it will seat four, be warned that passengers will cope with the rear seats for short journeys only – expect full-scale rebellions if you try anything more ambitious.

The short wheelbase tends to make the drive feel a little jerky but it’s a perfect little car for city driving and the engine will handle motorway jaunts, too. Those Peugeot and Citroen siblings offer diesel engines but the Aygo comes only with petrol, which is OK because it happens to deliver a lively and zippy drive. The compact dimensions make it feel very nifty to schlep about town but the engine sound does begin to grate a little at higher motorway speeds. With that said, you’ll have no trouble parking in tight situations and you’ll get up to 50 miles out of each gallon.