Have you ever wondered in which move or TV programme you saw such and such car? How many movies or TV series have featured a Ferrari or a Porsche? In fact if you have any questions at all that combine cars and the cinema or TV , then you will be able to discover the answer at the Internet Movie Cars Database which can be found at http://www.imcdb.org.

The Internet Movie Cars Database might no be the only movie and car database on the web, but certainly it is the largest one and as well as cars it includes bikes, trucks and other vehicles.

You can search for a movie, or you can search for a car. In addition to factual information you will find many pictures of the cars collected from the appropriate movie.

As well as downloading information you can upload it too and should you wish to do so you will find extensive guidelines and information on how to do so.

Let’s look at an example of one way to use the site. For instance, what movies have Renault cars been featured? We simply go to the home page and look down the list of cars until we find Renault. Click on that and we get taken to a page that lists just about every Renault car and truck model that has been made; there are literally hundreds of them. There is also a similar list of Renault chassis codes.

Against every model there is a number that indicates the number of appearances that particular model has made.

Let’s look at the Renault Clio. 15 models are listed, and the total number of features that Clios have appeared in is a staggering 608, so let’s refine that by selecting the Clio Symbol which has featured in 13 movies and TV series. Click on that and we find the date of the appearance, the name of the series or movie, plus a picture of the car in that series or movie.

You can drill down further by clicking the series or movie and you will find more pictures and more information including the role played by the vehicle.

This is a great website for anyone interested in cars and films, but if you are interested in buying a new or a used car, you should go to motors.co.uk where you will find many of the models as seen in the movies!

With insurance prices rocketing, the choice of car for a new driver is all important. A more experienced driver might buy a car based solely on the sale price, safe in the knowledge that insurance will be cheap due to no claims bonus discounts and age. A young driver – below 25 – may well find a bargain car but needs to be aware that the insurance cost could overshadow their purchase. With this in mind, a just passed driver may benefit from a look at the insurance ratings on the Parkers website.

Group 1 is the lowest insurance bracket of all and there are some creditable cars listed such as the Volkswagen Fox. The Fox could save the young or newly licensed driver hundreds of pounds on their insurance premium. As with all Volkswagens, the Fox is a reliable little runabout or city car which looks a shade more serious than other cutesy super minis. There is a 1.2 or a 1.4 engine with both providing sufficient power for this type of car. Fuel economy reaches 46.3mpg combined cycle. It replaces the Lupo as Volkswagens entry model. Prices start at a reasonable £7,795.

The Citroen C1 is another group 1 super mini. It has a choice of 1 litre engines and starts at £8,695 new. It has an endearing look with an attractive bonnet and a nicer interior than most super minis.

If we increase the scope of cars to group 2 we see a slight move away from the city car type of vehicle and find the Corsa and the Fiesta in this category. The Fiesta earns rave reviews as a quality small car.

The new driver shouldn’t stray far beyond group 4 as this may make their vehicle hard to insure. They may receive ridiculously high quotes – into the thousands – which will add substantially to their initial outlay for the car. As a new driver, the insurance has to be factored in to whatever you pay for your new car.

The latest Mitsubishi Outlander one of the most outstanding four wheel motors. It has seven seats and a very spacious and well finished interior. There is a high standard and quantity of equipment and it is a good driver’s car too. Whether you are looking for the safest car you can get for the school run, or a car in which to have some of-road fun, then you won’t go far wrong with the Outlander.

Engine options include a 2.0 litre diesel which delivers 140bhp and is renowned for its reliability. It delivers plenty of torque at low revs though it is not the quietest unit on the road which it is revving high, but in terms of raw pulling power it is excellent.

There is also a somewhat more refined 2.2-litre diesel unit that delivers 154 bhp which is enough to power the Outlander from rest to 62 mph in just 9.9 seconds whilst delivering 39 mpg.

If you prefer petrol engines, then there is a 2.4 litre petrol unit that has similar performance figures to the 2.2 litre diesel but it only returns 30 mpg.

The Outlander is more a rough road car than a true off-roader. You can select two or four wheel drive from within the cabin and with four wheel drive selected you feel secure even on the worst of road surfaces, though the car is just too low to take on really rough terrain. However it is very comfortable both for both the driver and the passengers, though the third row of seats are less comfortable due to limited padding.

There is limited space in the rear with the rear row of seats unfolded, but when folded down they are flat and create a spacious carrying area.

Fundamentally the Mitsubishi Outlander is a very safe car and scored four stars in the NCAP tests, which really does make it the ideal car for the school run. It is also very reliable and generally a great car to drive.

If you are looking for a bargain hatchback that is just a little different from most of the hatchbacks you see on the road, then the Mitsubishi Colt could be worth considering. It has good looks; there is plenty of space for a car of this size; and it an excellent city car as well as also being quite happy on long runs.

You can choose from three petrol powered versions and one diesel. The 1.5-litre DI-D diesel is very economical and delivers 95 bhp and although you should not expect particularly great acceleration from it, it delivers plenty of torque right through the rev range, which is what you need from a family hatch.

Petrol engine versions start with a 1.1 litre 75 bhp unit which is very economical but not particularly fast. If you are looking for better performance then the 1.3 litre unit delivers 95 bhp and the 1.5 litre unit 109 bhp whilst still delivering a fuel consumption of 46 mpg. The latest model is called the Cleartec and has a 1.3 litre engine which incorporates an automatic stop go system and will deliver 57 mpg.

The Colt has been optimised for city driving, and it is surprisingly easy to park. The suspension is quite soft and although the car is very comfortable as a result, it is not the car if powering round bendy roads is your priority as there is a fair amount of body roll. However, it performs perfectly well on leisurely long distance journeys.

There is plenty of passenger space and it is generally comfortable, though when it comes to carrying luggage, space is quite restricted. If is fine with the rear seats folded out of the way, but if you have rear passengers then there is only 155 litres of boot space which is about enough for one large suitcase. The latest model has a little more luggage space though it is still fairly restricted.

If you are looking for a good reliable hatchback and you favour economy and ease of driving over high speed performance, then the Mitsubishi Colt is worthy of your attention.