Steve Davies

It's that time of year, when the race calendar starts to wind down and you can pick up a Driving Experiences bargain at Silverstone... if you're quick. Tomorrow (Monday 11th October at 12:00hrs*) all of Silverstone’s Driving Experiences from their impressive range will be half price as part of a one day sale.

BMW's 1 Series M Coupé is one of the most eagerly anticipated cars to arrive from BMW in the past decade, with the E92 M3 now sporting a 414-bhp V8 and costing well above £50,000 it hardly fits the role of "BMW's entry level M car" any more. What was needed was a more affordable model, harking back to the very first E30 M3 and providing access to the M-power ladder from a more affordable and approachable package.

I've been taking a look at Bentley's new iPad app that was launched earlier today. During the past month there's been a bounty of iPad apps released by car makers, some of them acting as product showcases whilst others provide a more multi-media form of their customer magazine. If you've got yourself an iPad, then these apps are a great way to explore the many features of your new gadget whilst exploring some of your favourite cars.

On the face of it there's nothing ultimately newsworthy about a car maker producing a magazine, most brands already do so - they're usually slick, stylish and ideal coffee-table material. Most don't charge for it though, because they're normally produced as customer magazines, but Lotus have followed a different path.

This year's Formula One world championship is the closest in recent memory, and it's a fight to the wire between Red Bull Racing's duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, Scuderia Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and the McLaren pairing of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

If you're around and about in the UK during the next few weeks, then you might possibly spot BMW's 1 Series M Coupé on the roads near BMW's Bracknell HQ. If not then stay tuned during the next few days for first glimpses of the undisguised new baby M-car, showing off its unique burnt orange paintwork regarding which Dr. Kay Segler, CEO of BMW M GmbH, stated last month “This paint will make history”.

We are big fans of Icelandic post-rock band Sigur rós here at SkiddMark, their music is unique, uplifting yet thought-provoking, melodic but sometimes haunting. The band's music is recognisable by lead singer Jónsi's falsetto voice and by the simple melodies that seep into our sub-conscious after a brief listen.

It therefore comes as little surprise to find that so many Advertisers, Film and TV producers are keen to use their music as the perfect backdrop to their programmes and commercials, but you may be surprised to learn that the stock answer from Sigur rós to such a request is a polite but firm 'No'.

We are full of admiration for the project started by Michael and Maximilian Stoschek to resurect the Lancia Stratos using the most modern technologies and build standards, whilst still retaining the intrinsic chuckability of the original iconic car.