Isimple Vw2 on 2040-parts.com

Alfa Romeo MiTo Live launches

Alfa Romeo has launched a limited edition MiTo – the MiTo Live – with a Pioneer App radio and Marmalade ‘Black Box’ Insurance aimed at new drivers. So on the engine front the MiTo Live gets Alfa’s 875cc two-cylinder turbo – a crackingly good little engine – which delivers up a modest, but fun, 85bhp with emissions of 98g/km and the promise of 67.3mpg if you drive like a saint. And if you do drive like a saint, there’s a cost saving beyond great fuel economy.

Audi RS5 TDI Concept gets electric turbo and 380bhp

The Audi RS5 TDI Concept (pictured) gets an electric turbo It’s two years since Audi revealed it was working on an electric turbo to be used in a twin-turbo setup, with the electric turbo able to offer boost pressure from much lower down the rev range than a normal turbo. That has turned in to the Audi RS5 TDI Concept, where Audi has replaced the normal RS5‘s V8 with a 3.0 litre TDI engine with a small electric turbo for low rev work and a bigger turbo to do the higher rev stuff. The electric turbo works from the off to provide maximum torque of 553lb/ft from just 1250rpm, before the bigger normal turbo takes over at 3,000rpm to continue the boost.

Nissan LEAF EV: 15,000 sold worldwide, but UK hasn’t fallen for electric cars

Nissan LEAF EV - 15k sold worldwide, but just a handful in the UK As electric cars go, the Nissan LEAF is one of the best. It looks like a proper car – even if it’s not exactly drop dead gorgeous – it has the accoutrements of a real car and you can pile in your shopping and the kids just as you could in any other family sized hatch. But from our perspective the LEAF is an orange trying to be a banana.