Everyone knows Michelin Tyres - the company with the jolly man made of tyres as its mascot. You’ve also most likely heard of Michelin stars – stars awarded to high-quality restaurants around the globe. But did you know they’re both the same company? This is how a tyre company started giving out the world’s most prestigious restaurant awards. 

Back in the 1880s in France, when there were very few cars on the roads, brothers Andre and Edourard Michelin needed a way to increase their tyre sales. To get drivers out on the streets and using more tyres they had the bright idea to create a guidebook. 

The guide initially focused on essential travel information like maps, instructions on how to change tyres, and places to refuel. At first the guides were given out for free in the hopes this would encourage more drivers to use them, until one of the brothers entered a workshop to see a stack of their guides being used to prop up a workbench. 

Under the assumption that nobody cared about the books because they hadn’t spent their hard-earned money on them, the brothers reworked their guide and began selling them for seven francs each (92p in today’s money). 

Included in this new version was a list of hotels and restaurants. They also removed any paid advertising. Noticing how much influence the guide had on diners’ choice of restaurants the brothers started to send ‘mystery diners’ to write reviews. 

In 1926 their famous star system was introduced. Initially, only one star was used, but five years later they began a one, two and three-star rating system, where one star was worth a stop, two stars were worth a detour and three stars were worth a special journey. 

Today the star system is still in use and has become a symbol of a great quality restaurant and top-notch dining across the globe. 

The Michelin brother’s famous guidebook wasn’t their only stroke of marketing genius. Around the same time as the guide was introduced, the brothers began to use a mascot. 

Almost exclusively known as the ‘Michelin Man’ this mascot made entirely of tyres’ real name is Bibendum. The name comes from ‘Nunc est Bibendum’ which is Latin for ‘it’s time to drink’, as early adverts showed the character drinking a glass of nails to show how strong Michelin’s tyres were.

Other early adverts depicted Bibendum as a womanizing, cigar-smoking, beer drinker. But luckily, he soon cleared up his act and in the 1920s he was often shown participating in sports like cycling and running or helping families change their tyres. 

It’s safe to say the tyre-shaped mascot has been a work-in-progress for the company, which has now become a refined and instantly recognisable character for everyone. Just make sure you don’t type ‘vintage Michelin man’ into Google or you’ll be in for a bit of a fright! 

How a tyre company started giving out the world’s most prestigious restaurant awards 

Through our partnership with Ecologi, Bumper is contributing to major climate-positive projects throughout the world. Ecologi helps to support Bumper’s sustainability goals by using funding from its members to invest in carbon avoidance and tree planting projects around the globe.

Currently, India generates 62 million tonnes of waste annually. Although 75% of this waste is collected, only 20% is treated. This has a huge impact on environmental and health issues across the country. 

When the waste is sent to landfill sites the supply of oxygen to organic waste is often cut off causing it to decompose anaerobically. This produces, amongst other harmful emissions, methane. Methane produced in India contributes to around 29% of total greenhouse gases, with the global average being around 18%.

To make the issue worse, India’s demand for electricity is growing rapidly, with coal power plants often relied upon. This can lead to adverse environmental and health effects for local communities. 

The aim of the Organic Waste Management Programme is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and firewood for cooking by placing biogas plants throughout the country. The biogas is recovered and used for thermal and electrical applications. The programme also helps to avoid emissions by ensuring waste at landfill sites is disposed of properly. 

Between 2016 and 2023 the project resulted in an annual emission avoidance of up to 70,000 tCO2e and supported 73 jobs in the local community. A recent survey also found that 100 families who had previously used firewood for heating food had switched to biogas created from organic waste.

Ecologi Project: Using organic waste to produce electricity in India 

The 2023 Best Workplaces in Tech™ list was launched this week by 

, recognising Bumper among the list of organisations in the small to medium-sized category for both UK and Turkey, where our tech centre is based. 

Bumper colleagues anonymously reported that Bumper’s way of working makes the company a Great Place to Work. Employees said Bumper is a peaceful, fun and inclusive place where there is emphasis on sharing knowledge and achieving together. Bumper’s Guiding Principles are that they think big together, make it happen together, and celebrate success together. 

Now in its sixth year, the Best Workplaces in Tech

 list celebrates companies adept at developing dynamic, collaborative cultures that serve as a catalyst for innovation and personal growth for all. 

An example of how Bumper’s supportive and innovative culture comes following recent Pulse survey results. Bumper’s Personal Enhancement Allowance Policy was implemented following colleague feedback and allows colleagues to spend an annual allowance on all things wellness and development related, creating a bespoke benefit that colleagues can tailor to their own needs 

One colleague stated in their survey, “I have found Bumper to be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. My manager is exceptional, providing valuable guidance and support for my development. The work is engaging and allows me to expand my skills while staying up to date with industry trends. The team is talented and collaborative, creating a positive and motivating atmosphere. I feel fortunate to be part of such a remarkable company.” 

James Jackson, CEO and co-founder for Bumper has said: “We are incredibly proud to be ranked as one of the Best Workplaces in Tech for both the UK and in Turkey. We have worked hard to create a culture centred around the wellbeing and development of our colleagues in a fun and innovative environment. This award showcases exactly how we have managed to achieve this and how much we value our colleagues and great contributions they bring to the growth of Bumper.” 

Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work® UK said: “The Best Workplaces in Tech™️ list is created using the anonymous feedback collected from employees within the technology industry about their workplace experience. In one of the country’s fastest-growing industries, it’s fantastic to see these Tech organisations putting their people strategy at the heart of the business and implementing policies, practices and programmes that sustain an impactful and consistently great employee experience for all. A huge congratulations to Bumper for making one of our most prestigious lists.” 

Bumper Awarded Best Workplace in Tech 

We're pleased to announce the Dealership of the Month Award for July 2023 goes to Stratstone BMW & MINI Hull. 

Having joined the Bumper network last July, the Hull team has started with a strong first 12 months, helping hundreds of motorists drive away safer with their invoices split into interest-free monthly payments.

The team has fully utilised the Bumper-Pinewood integration, incorporating Buy Now Pay Later as a fundamental component of their aftersales process.

Mutual Bumper and Stratstone customers praised the partnership on Trustpilot. One reviewer said, ‘Really easy to set up a payment plan, literally took a few minutes.’ Another praised the team’s excellent support, ‘Customer service is good. Flexible payment arrangement is a good idea.’ 

Mark Flintoff, Aftersales Development Leader at Stratstone BMW & Mini, said, ‘Bumper has made a massive impact across the Stratstone BMW/MINI service teams. It offers multiple payment options which helps to support our valued customers when keeping their cars safe and roadworthy during these challenging times. Congratulations to the team at Stratstone BMW/MINI Hull on a great month, and we look forward to many more awards across the Division in the future.’

Well done to Mike, Chloe, Kirsty, Rui and the whole team at Stratstone BMW and MINI Hull! 

Dealership of the Month: Stratstone BMW & MINI Hull 

Today is World Entrepreneurs’ Day, and in aid of this, we are celebrating our very own co-founders, James Jackson and Jack Allman!

I spent some time with James and Jack and picked their brains about how Bumper came to be, what they think makes a successful business, and the key traits someone would need to be a strong entrepreneur.

The idea for what is now Bumper, was first thought up by James when speaking with a contact in the industry who had crunched some numbers on repair costs, and had identified that Peugeot-Citroën were losing around £1 billion a year from identified repair work that wasn’t being sold. This led to James developing a Buy Now Pay Later solution for this type of work in the automotive industry, then called Auto Service Finance. 

After receiving some funding from friends and family, James was introduced to the Allmans – he pitched the business idea to them and they developed a deal to launch the product to their dealers. 

Guy Allman suggested Jack’s involvement, and then, in James’ words, he ‘realised how brilliant and energetic Jack was’, which was when Jack went from 1-2 days a week to being an integral part of Auto Service Finance.

James’ key piece of advice for being a budding entrepreneur would be to first work in a business that does the thing they want to create before setting up the business. This is when you meet key stakeholders in the industry and start to understand all the elements that you need to launch that kind of startup. James had previously worked at 3 tech startups before launching this product and Jack had been at an automotive tech startup. This is where they both gained key contacts in the industry, and the know-how on what to do, and what not to do. 

James said this is key when it comes to gaining funding. Investors are not only investing in an idea, but they are also investing in the people who are driving it. In the early days, James and Jack put together a team of people who they knew were credible and had been successful in working with previously. It seems there is some truth in the adage ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’.

When discussing the key to getting a new business off the ground, James cites a Ted Talk that he recently sent to Jack. It was centred around 5 reasons startups succeed or fail – the idea, the team, funding, the business model, and timing. By far the biggest factor in the research was timing. Both Uber and Airbnb launched at the height of the financial crash in 2008; a time when people were more inclined to rent their rooms out for extra money or to drive strangers around in their cars when they had lost their job. 

James points out that the launch of Auto Service Finance was well-timed as the automotive sector was becoming more digital and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) was about to boom, just before Klarna gained traction. In fact, early funding rounds for Auto Service Finance happened at the same time as Klarna and BNPL were expanding. The Covid Pandemic, and subsequently dealers having to rely on digital solutions, was also a big help when pitching the product to dealers. 

It seems Bumper has managed to tick all boxes – it’s a sterling idea, we have a great team, it’s well-funded, it has a strong business model, and the launch was perfectly timed. (James also made sure to get in there that it would never have happened without its inspirational founders…). Jack adds that a huge amount of luck also helps, as well as the characteristics of the team you put in place. Persistence and tenacity are key – he says there were some pretty dark times in the early days of Bumper, where the team needed to band together and help each other get through it.

This leads us to talk about traits that best help a person become a successful entrepreneur. James reiterates Jack’s point – tenacity is needed on every level. He says that when it came to fundraising, there were so many knockbacks, and the same is true from a sales perspective too. He goes on to say that really they have spent their careers being rejected by everyone. James credits Jack for supporting him and being the person to cheer him up in those dark times. James says he would’ve hated to have done this alone and would’ve given up a long time ago. 

To that point, Jack says optimism is important too; even when certain markets don’t go as well as you’d hoped, you have to find the positives where you can. He says that he’d like to think that optimism is felt throughout the company, where we all have a glass-half-full attitude, nothing is impossible, and no matter how bad things get we find a way around it and persevere. This requires a level of adaptability too. Jack expresses that as much as you think this is how the business will run, or these are the markets you’ll launch in, or these are the products you’ll launch, it never works out that way. Bumper have had so many curve balls thrown at them, and being adaptable and flexible is essential.

James states that you also need to love every aspect of the job – James and Jack are clearly dedicated and are always thinking about the business in some form, and that’s because they love it and are energised by it. The money is not what drives them – it’s the joy of building the product and the company, having amazing customers, and building something that could be here and still be being used in 30 years’ time.

The final trait that Jack thinks is key to being successful, is the ability to get others to come along with you on the journey. Being able to inspire others to be as optimistic, energised, and excited by the product and the company as you are is important. Similarly to James’ earlier point, Jack says that one wouldn’t be able to do this alone and therefore you have to be able to get along with people and build a strong team around you. Being a good storyteller helps to get buy-in from others into your brand, both internally and externally. It is felt across Bumper that when a new starter joins the team, they are immediately bought into the product, the culture, and the company as a whole.

I was interested to see if either of them had glimmers of entrepreneurial traits when they were younger and asked what they both wanted to be when they were kids. After some thinking, Jack settled on either a professional sportsman or an architect. Interestingly, James also said an architect, before admitting that when he was 13 years old he wanted to be an investment banker, which frankly Jack and I could hardly believe.

Thankfully, James didn’t become an investment banker and instead created this amazing company we’re all working for - here’s to the entrepreneurs!

Bumper Co-Founders: How to Be a Great Entrepreneur

Co-fundadores de Bumper: Cómo ser un gran empresario

Car insurance costs are climbing, and for new drivers especially, the premium can be just as painful as the car payment itself. But good news: not all cars cost the same to insure. If you're looking to cut your insurance bill in 2025, your choice of vehicle makes a big difference. 

We’ve rounded up 10 of the cheapest cars to insure in the UK this year, based on their insurance group, safety rating, and affordability when it comes to repairs. Whether you're after a compact city car, a smart first-time buy, or a reliable second-hand option, this guide will help you choose a model that won’t blow your insurance budget sky-high. 

What is the cheapest car to insure in 2025?

The Hyundai i10 is currently the cheapest car to insure in 2025. It consistently sits in insurance Group 1 – one of the lowest insurance groups, thanks to its small engine size, excellent safety features, and 

Cars in Group 1 insurance are usually the cheapest cars to insure. They tend to be smaller, slower, and safer cars with strong security features and fewer claims history. This means insurers see them as less risky, which is perfect for new drivers or anyone looking to lower their insurance premiums.

 assigns each car model to a group based on things like repair time, replacement costs, and safety systems. For low-cost car insurance, focus on models in groups 1 to 10 – they average around £442 a year.

These are the cheapest cars to insure in 2025, based on ratings, costs, and quotes, 

Compact, affordable, and consistently one of the cheapest cars to insure. The i10 is known for its reliability, low repair costs, and basic trims. It’s also packed with safety features and modern tech, even at entry level, making it perfect for new drivers or city-based commuters. 

The Picanto is a budget-friendly city car that still offers solid value for money. It’s consistently reliable, particularly when it comes to electrics, and even the base models come equipped with key features like air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, and a touchscreen system.

A spacious, practical hatchback with the bones of a VW Polo but at a lower cost. The Fabia brings good fuel efficiency and a good driving record among owners. It also benefits from cheap insurance, affordable repair costs, and excellent safety systems. 

Growing families and young professionals 

This Toyota micro-crossover blends the look of a mini SUV with the footprint of a city car. The Aygo X includes an impressive infotainment system, better visibility, and smart safety features, making it affordable to run and insure. 

 Style-conscious drivers who want to keep their insurance quotes low. 

With a punchy, efficient engine, the SEAT Ibiza balances fun with function. It’s known for reliably carrying longer trips, with a solid engine and safety systems.

Drivers who want versatility without forking out too much on the insurance. 

The most affordable brand-new car in the UK also happens to be one of the cheapest cars to insure. While basic, the Sandero brings unbeatable value with durable build quality and reasonable security features, too. 

Drivers who want a no-frills drive and minimal running costs. 

The Fiesta is a household name for a reason – it blends great handling with a comfortable ride, solid safety features, and widespread garage support, which helps to keep your 

Stylish and well-equipped, the Clio pairs strong safety ratings with an excellent dependability track record. Many insurers associate it with responsible driving and lower claims history, which helps to keep insurance premiums in check for Clio drivers. 

 Anyone wanting a bit of style without sacrificing affordability. 

The Polo brings a premium feel in a compact, cost-effective package. Highly rated by experts for safety and reliability, its build quality and modest engine size make it easy to insure, especially in lower trim levels and with optional black box policies. 

 Those who want a built-to-last car at a cheap insurance premium. 

A regular fixture in the UK’s top 10 best-selling cars, and for good reason. The Corsa is now better equipped, more efficient, and cheaper to run than ever, thanks to updated engines and a lighter design. 

 New drivers who want efficiency and a ride whose premiums won’t break the bank. 

 from Bumper allow you to split the cost into 0% interest monthly payments. 

There are a number of things you can do to get the cheapest car insurance, including:

Are there cars to avoid for cheap car insurance?

If it’s cheap car insurance you’re after, avoid the following cars:

It may be compact, but the Mini Cooper is known for its engine/exhaust modifications. This can push it into a higher insurance bracket as it increases the risk of serious accidents, becomes less cost-effective to replace, and more attractive to thieves, raising overall 

 – all of which insurers factor into their pricing.

The Ford Focus is known for dependability, but higher-end trims come with larger engines and more advanced features, which can lead to a larger premium. Larger engines = more power and more risk – insurers don’t like too much risk. Add to that rising 

 for certain trims, and your insurance quote can quickly climb compared to entry-level models.

The Nissan Juke or Ford Puma may seem like reliable choices, but they’re surprisingly expensive to insure. High repair costs, especially in the case of

, can be above average for parts and labour. If your car costs more to fix, your insurer will have to pay more in the event of an accident, so they pass that cost to you in their premiums. 

It’s a similar case for electric vehicles – expensive battery packs, longer repair times, and limited availability for parts cost insurers more to cover, so their premiums are higher as a result.

Bumper Finance: Save money without cutting corners

Even with the best insurance, unexpected repairs still crop up out of nowhere – that’s where Bumper helps. If you're hit with a repair bill you weren’t expecting, Bumper offers a stress-free way to cover it. 

 splits the cost into manageable monthly payments. There are no hidden fees and no impact on your credit to check your eligibility. Most approvals take minutes, and you can 

 across the country. Get back on the road without breaking the bank – 

What’s the cheapest car to insure for a 16-year-old?

The Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, and Skoda Fabia are some of the cheapest cars to insure for 16-year-olds. Remember: In the UK, you can’t legally drive on public roads until you turn 17. However, if you’re planning ahead, these makes and models are usually a solid choice for new, young drivers.

The lowest car insurance group in the UK is Group 1. Cars in Group 1 are usually the cheapest to insure, and are often small, safe, and cheap to repair. 

Are older or newer vehicles cheaper to insure? 

It depends on the car, but generally, newer vehicles with modern safety systems and security features can be cheaper to insure than older models. However, older cars may have lower value, which can reduce your insurance premium. That said, older cars include fewer features like parking sensors and immobilisers, which could affect premium pricing.

10 cheapest cars to insure in 2025

 from the south coast to the North of England in an electric car to visit what has been found to be the most EV-friendly tourist destination - Beamish, the Living Museum of the North. 

The entire trip was more than 600 miles over three days with a lot of charging along the way. We weren’t new to long-distance electric vehicle driving, but it’s fair to say that a lot had changed since the last time. 

Here’s how you can prepare for an EV road trip from what we learnt along the way… 

Planning ahead is essential for any road trip but it can make a huge difference when you’re driving an EV. Start by getting an idea of the mileage simply by putting your route into Google Maps. 

If you know the range of your vehicle - that’s how many miles it’ll do on a full charge - then you can calculate how many times you’ll need to stop and where the best places are. 

There’s so much information online now, even when it comes to charging stations. Many motorway services are now also equipped with charging points, and in a lot of cases, these are high enough power to get you on your way fast. 

Not all electric cars can use the same type of charging connector though, so check what your car can do. You can then use Google Maps or Zap-Map to find chargers that are right for you. Zap-Map is a smartphone app and users can add important information about the charging points, so check on there to see if they were working recently. 

If you’re going to be charging when it’s dark then you might also want to check where the charger is located. Because owners have had to put them where there is space, they’re not always the easiest to find and can feel a bit scary if they’re around the back of a building. 

The good news is that most chargers are marked exactly where they are on Google Maps, so you can navigate straight to them but also see what the services are like around them. 

If you’re driving a Tesla, you’ll know you can easily see how many chargers are in use at the nearest Supercharger (or the one the car has calculated you should use). However, on many other cars, this isn’t always the case. 

Going back to our friend Google Maps, that can now tell you how many chargers are available at each station but that’s not very easy to check while you’re driving. 

That’s why we’d recommend having more stops planned than you’ll need to use. If you get stuck in traffic or can’t charge as fast as you planned, it’s better to have other options. 

This also helps if you drive into a charging station to find all of the other chargers are taken. You can make a judgement call as to whether to wait it out or drive on to the next one. 

You can now charge with a contactless car at a lot of charging points but that’s not always the case. Before you leave it’s worth checking if you need an account or card to use any of the networks you plan to stop at. 

In some cases, you may need to preload your account with money too. Equally, it can become expensive when you’re using your contactless car and the charging points will pre-authorise £40 to even £99 depending on the network. 

5. Aim to recharge with more than a quarter

Again, this is something that we’d recommend whatever you’re driving! But if you turn up at a charging station and can’t charge because they’re either occupied or broken, you’ll have enough left to not stress about driving to the next charger. 

6. You don’t need to stop charging at 80%

This is advice that EV drivers used to be given because the resistance in the battery when you have less than 20% or more than 80% means your charging power will reduce drastically. 

However, with some cars now able to charge at 150 to 350kW, you’ll find that even the reduced rate of charging is still pretty fast! That said, if there are lots of people waiting it’s usually more polite to get on your way. 

If you’re doing a long drive that’s mainly on motorways or A-roads, you’ll find that the car learns your driving style and gives you a more realistic range over time. 

For those who normally drive around town, you might find that your battery lasts longer or the miles start slipping away faster depending on how aggressively or smoothly you drive. 

Either way, don’t expect to get your normal range and give the car a chance to adapt its prediction. 

One of the problems we ran into on our long drive was finding that the physical charging cable wasn’t connecting to the car properly. 

This wasn’t obvious at first so it’s something to watch out for. We plugged in as normal but when we hit start the charger kept telling us there was an issue with the car. The pin that needs to lock the cable in place wasn’t lining up correctly, but this was rectified by holding the cable in as we started the charge. 

As I mentioned, there are some super fast chargers these days claiming that they can do 350kW. Firstly, you’ll only be able to charge at this rate if your car is capable of it but you’ll also need a lot of other things to fall into place. 

Our car and the chargers we used were both able to charge at 350kW but the best we were getting was 150kW on most charges. At one station every charger was taken and we were only getting 40kW. 

Unlike fueling your car with petrol or diesel, car chargers are set at a rate based on the network you’re charging with so they won’t vary depending on where you are in the country. That said, it’s also not obvious what the price is as you arrive. 

We used some chargers at around 69p per kW, which is a lot more expensive than charging at home! 

Rebecca Chaplin is a motoring journalist and owner of Road Trip Club. She’s written about cars and the best places to drive them for nearly 10 years.

Exploring EV-Friendly Attractions in Britain

Top tips for an EV road trip that we learnt on a 600-mile journey around England

Ever fancied taking a totally plastic, totally fantastic shopping-spree in your very own Barbie Dream Car? Well, now you finally can. Thanks to the power of AI, we’ve given your favourite cars the hottest, pinkest make over possible. 

An Audi that’s always dressed to impress. 

The Ford Fiesta, where fashion meets the fast lane. 

Steering towards fashion with Barbie’s MINI Hatch. 

Accelerate your style with the Kia Picanto. 

Definitely not new from Mattel, the Toyota IQ. 

Strutting up the runway with an all-plastic VW Up. 

Alastair Shephard

Content Writer