After five years of being married, my wife finally gave me the news I have been waiting to hear, we are expecting our first child. I couldn’t believe it ay first when she told me, as she texted me to give such huge news, so I just ignored it and thought it was a horrible joke.

Later on during the day I found miss calls from my wife, but didn’t get a chance to call back, as I was really busy at work. I called her back during lunch and was shocked to hear her telling me that it was actually true and we are having a baby.

I was so happy that it was impossible to do any of my work; all I could think about was our baby. I couldn’t wait for the day to end, so I can go home to my wife and share the happiness together. That night we spent hours talking about the baby, how we going to manage and what needs to be done before the baby is born.

The main thing on our list is to buy a new car for my wife, as I don’t like the thought of them both travelling on the bus and train during the wintery weather. We both decided to buy an Audi A1; it’s the right size and price.

Even though there is still many months to go, I started looking for the best new Audi deals, just in case there’s a deal not to be missed.

The Audi A1 has been with us since the early part of last year; it is Audi’s first attempt at a supermini model. Judging by the sales and the gleaming reviews they seem to have hit the spot with the A1. It is competing in a very crowded segment that is dominated by the Mini; other premium supermini cars include the Citroen DS3 and Smart Fortwo.

When the A1 was launched it was only available as a 3 door version, Audi always said that a 5 door will be on its way. True to their word the new 5 door model is due to go on sale in the next couple of months. The five door model is called the Audi A1 Sportback and will be joining a growing fleet of new Audi models.

The five door model will cost an additional £560 on top of the cost of a 3 door model; it will come with a choice of 4 engines; 1.2 litre petrol, two 1.4 litre petrols and a 1.6 litre diesel. The entry level model is the 1.2 litre TFSI that will cost £13,980.

The flagship performance model is the turbocharged and supercharged 1.4 TFSI with 182bhp, it can do 0-62mph in 7.0sec on its way to a top speed of 138mph, and it returns a claimed 47.9mpg while emitting 139g/km of CO2.

All the Audi A1 Sportback models will come with alloys, remote central locking, air-con, electric front and rear windows, a split folding rear seats and a six-speaker single CD Concert audio system linked to a 6.5-inch retractable display. SE, Sport and S-Line models come with a lot of kit and definitely worth the extra money. With premiums cars the more kit they have the better they seem to hold their value, so if you want to sell on your used A1 in the future for good money then kit it out when ordering it!

If you are considering the purchase of a new Volkswagen phaeton London car then the first question you need to ask yourself if whether you want to but a new or used car. Furthermore, if you already have a car do you really need to change it at all? Here are a few pointers when it comes to considering the purchase of a new car.

Depreciation- This is often the hidden cost which people forget to think about. When you buy a new car, the biggest part of the depreciation takes part in the first twelve months. Therefore, whilst the temptation of a nice brand new shiny car may be attractive, buying a car which is twelve months old would be more cost effective.

Savings- by considering the purchase of a second hand car rather than a new one, you might find that you can afford a vehicle which has more power and specification. There are big savings to be had if you buy second hand.

If you buy from a respected dealer you will find that you get a warranty. Most will offer you a twelve month warranty and even if they don’t you could take out your own policy to ensure that you are never caught out.

If you really must have a new car then work out your budget carefully. Take a look at some online car sites which will give you information about car models “target price”. This means the price that car dealers are willing to sell the car for. You often find that the target price is heavily discounted compared with the list price.

When it comes to purchasing a Volkswagen Scirocco London car many people choose to take a car finance rather than purchasing the car outright. There are a few advantages of purchasing a car this way but you need to ensure that you pick the right kind of finance for your purchase. However before you visit the showroom you should really ensure that you have done your homework, otherwise you could find yourself with a finance product which is not for you.

Turning up to a car dealership without having researched car finances means that you are the perfect customer for a sales person who wants to make as much margin as possible. Not being prepared could cost you a fortune and make sure the sales person knows that you are not gullible and can’t be “sold” to.

If you are interested in a variety of cars then you should take the time to compare the best deals they have to offer. Collect different offers from different dealers and then compare them in great detail. Don’t be tempted to simply look at the monthly rate but try and compare the overall price. When you are given an offer make sure you get it in writing and ask how long it will be valid as this will ensure that you can revisit it at a later date.

Finally remember not to feel intimidated and if you feel there is something wrong with the deal, walk away. You can always think about it and go back to it at a later date if you should wish.

German group Volkswagen has been evolving over the recent years, when I say recent I mean more like over the past couple of decades. Acquisition of brands such as Audi, Skoda and SEAT have all put VW in line to become the biggest car manufacturer in the world by the end of this year. Toyota and Ford have dominated the top spot of the cars ales chart for years so it is nice to get someone different in there.

As the New Year began VW announced that it would like to become the “automotive Apple”, it wants to be as inspirational with its new car designs as Apple is with its mobile technology. Products like VW service plans and new cars like the Up! will help VW dominate the automotive sector.

Martin Kropp who is the exterior design chief for the VW CC said, “You know there is the function and engineering behind the products, but you also enjoying looking at them. You want simple designs and this is what we’re trying to achieve.”

The designers and developers at VW are confident that they are now in a position to be able to dictate automotive design evolution. New design elements on the new VW CC are an example of VW’s attention to detail. The new rear light clusters on the CC have fine lines and intricate styling details.

In the next few years expect Volkswagen to set new design standards and force others to up their game. Imagine a world of cars that had VW reliability, comfort and safety – hopefully VW will force the hands of other manufacturers by moving the goal posts!

If you are looking for _performance cars for sale then you might get a little bewildered by the choice and options currently available. Performance cars can range from a hot hatch to a Ferrari, of course there are some hot hatched out there that can give a Ferrari a good run for their money. Not all of us are lucky enough to own a performance car, even if we can buy one insuring and maintaining it is another story.

I have put together a small list of performance cars from either end of the budget spectrum, so there is something in there for almost everyone.

For my affordable buy I would have to go with the Renaultsport Clio, it’s a proper hot hatch with a lot of power and excellent handling. At around £16,000 it is also affordable and insurable, being a Renault it is fairly reasonable to maintain and service too.

The best driver’s car, voted by many industry leading publications is the Porsche Cayman. At £47K it isn’t cheap but it has excellent performance, ride and handling. For a high performance car it also has decent fuel efficiency.

For the top end of my price bracket I have chosen the Ferrari 458 Italia, at nearly £200k it definitely is not cheap. As it is a Ferrari servicing and maintenance will be very expensive; but it is so gorgeous and has scary performance.

Whether you go for the likes of the Renault or the Ferrari, owning a high performance car is a special experience. 

It’s been a fairly mild new year so far. Although as I sit writing in my office at home, I can hear the wind howling and the rain sheeting and I know it’s only going to get worse! Give me a bit of wind or rain any day though, compared with ice and snow. Driving in the rain can be dangerous, but in snow and ice it’s a whole different ballgame.

They don’t teach you how to drive in harsh conditions in your driving lessons. In fact, unless you know a very experienced driver who can give you some tips, how else would you ever know the do’s and don’ts?

Here are some I’ve put together, let’s hope we won’t need them this year though!

·         When you pull away, do so gently and progressively. If you slam your foot on the accelerator, you will lose traction and end up wheelspinning all over the place. This can cause loss of steering control in a front wheel drive car and oversteer in a rear wheel drive car.

·         If you do start wheelspinning, take your foot off the accelerator and then reapply gently.

·         Change gear sooner rather than later and if possible pull away in second gear. Always use the highest gear possible to reduce the chances of wheelspin.

·         Drive as smoothly as possible and don’t do any sudden braking or accelerating if you can avoid it.

·         Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. It will take you a lot longer to brake in snow and ice; the car in front doesn’t want you to hit him any more than you do.

·         If your car has ABS, you will be able to feel if it has engaged by feeling a pulsing sensation in the brake pedal. If you feel it, do not pump the brake. Keep a firm pressure on it instead. ABS is there to help you to steer as you’re slowing down as locked brakes cannot steer. Use this to try and avoid possible collisions.

·         Get your car fitted with winter tyres, or at the very least have a winter service to make sure your car is ready to handle the harsh winter conditions.

Drivers with 4x4’s like Land Rover’s are able to cope much better in bad conditions. But even these must be drive and maintained carefully. Many dealerships offer Land Rover servicing, so make sure you get booked in as soon as possible.

Who said you can only travel when you are young and single? My neighbours are setting off on their travels with their 3 year old son, sounds crazy right? But they’ve decided to spend a year travelling as much as they can before the boy starts school and nursery. They have decided not to travel too far at the moment; they are going to set off on national trips around the UK in their Mitsubishi Outlander London.

The idea is that the short journeys will get the little guy ready for bigger journeys across the globe to America and Australia. To be honest I think there are lots to find out in the UK before you need to go overseas, and even then Europe has lots to offer before venturing further afield. Being a bit of a petrol head I’m quite intrigued by their choice of car, the outlander is not a common car so I decided to do some research, just for my own knowledge.

The second generation Outlander has been in production since 2005, it is a compact crossover based sports utility vehicle. It received four stars at the Euro NCAP car safety performance assessment programme. It comes with a choice of 2 diesel engines; both are 2.2 litre units with either 154 or 175 bhp.

As of last year Mitsubishi have been offering the Outlander in 2-wheel drive format, which is the first time since the model was launched in the UK. My neighbours have opted for the more powerful engine with 4-wheel drive, just to make sure they can handle all types of terrain. I have recommended they get a wrench fitted too, just in case they get stuck in a ditch or something. 

The BMW 1 series has been in production since 2004 it is a small family car available as a hatchback, coupe and convertible. The new model range was launched to act as an entry point for new consumers to enjoy BMW ownership. The 1 Series is based on the BMW 3 Series and shares many components and under pinning.

BMW has launched the 2012 model version of the 1 Series; it will be at UK dealerships in a few months. The new BMW 1 Series in Shropshire will initially come as a five door hatchback, followed by the three door, coupe and convertible models. Like the 5 Series GT the 1 Series will get a new 5 door hatchback version that has coupe like styling.

Once it goes on sale it will be available with a choice of 5 engines in total, the 1.6 litre petrol engine will be available with 136 or 170 bhp. The 2.0 litre diesel unit will come with a choice of 116, 143 or 184 bhp. Personally the larger diesel engine would be my choice, it provides the perfect balance between power and fuel economy.

The current model has just been given a boost with the announcement of new special edition trims for the coupe and convertible models. The “Edition Sport” gets an M body kit in exclusive Carbon Black metallic paint, along with double-spoke 17- or 18-inch M alloy wheels. On the inside there are more special touches such as seats in Pearl Grey with grey contrast stitching, or black with white stitching.

The “Edition Exclusive” gets small visual enhancements all around such as window surrounds in chrome, chrome exhaust tip covers, chrome grille and a range of 16-, 17-, and 18-inch alloys. Inside, the seats are finished in either Pearl Grey with grey contrast stitching, or black with white stitching.

I was really happy to hear that a new Rolls Royce showroom has opened in Paris, as I think everyone should be given the opportunity to have a great car like a Rolls Royce. I have had my Rolls Royce Ghost in West Midlands for a while, and it still runs like it did the first day I bought it

The new 300 square metre showroom has enough space for three Roll Royce vehicles, an espresso bar and customer configuration lounge. In the article about the showroom it said the showroom is design to be very modern to attract many new customers.

Rolls Royce has commissioned a number of collaborations with leaders of the art and fashion worlds to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Spirit of Ecstasy. Photographer Rankin is capturing 100 images inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine from the Rankin: Spirit of Ecstasy collection, which was shown at the showroom opening.

There was a comment made by Torsten Muller-Otvos, who said: "Paris is a global capital of style and fine living. I am delighted to see the new French home of Rolls Royce in the heart of Paris, which complements the unique mood of the city, as well as the core values of our company."

Also a comment by Eric Neubauer, Dealer Principal of Rolls Royce Motor Cars Paris, who said: "The investment in our new showroom underpins our successful business partnership with Rolls Royce in France. Working with our architects we were keen to create an atmosphere befitting the Spirit of Ecstasy, as we celebrate the centenary of this famous figurine."