ANYONE looking to buy a new car this weekend will be lucky to get more than a quick whizz around the block to test their prospective purchase - unless they go to a Vauxhall retailer.

With research showing that about half of all new car buyers will happily spend thousands of pounds on a new motor without ever driving it, Vauxhall has decided to give buyers the chance to see how a car really performs in people's everyday lives with a three-day test drive.

And you don't even have to have the salesman sitting in the passenger seat!

The initiative, which started last weekend and will last for three months, is part of the biggest test drive programme the world has ever seen, with 54,000 drivers expected to take part in the UK alone.

In the UK, Vauxhall retailers now have an extra 2,300 cars available to cater for the demand. Models across the range are on offer, including the newly-launched Astra Sport Hatch and the Breeze editions of Corsa, Meriva, Astra, Zafira and Vectra.

Certain restrictions will obviously apply and demand is expected to be high, so customers should contact their local Vauxhall retailer for more information and to book a drive.