2012 VW Beetle: UK prices and models revealed

2012 VW Beetle: UK prices and models revealed Perhaps the title of VW’s press release for the 2012 Beetle details for the UK best illustrates exactly what VW hope to achieve with the new Beetle: “Less Flower, More Power”. Which is probably the only way VW are going to get anyone in Europe – certainly any male in Europe – to take a serious look at a car which is perceived as a pointless rehash of a once iconic car in to a fashion accessory for those who don’t love cars. So now you know the flower vase has lost its pride of place, and the 2012 Beetle is a bit more of a car and a bit less of a fashion accessory, you may want to know what’s on offer.

2014 Fiat 500 UK price and specs – costs from £10,160

The 2014 Fiat 500 arrives in the UK It’s hard to update a car that’s already a pastiche of an original, so Fiat has been very cautious with the updates for the Fiat 500 for 2014, although there are some welcome improvements. One modern change is the arrival of a 7″ TFT digital instrument display – standard on the 500S and 500 CULT and optional on 500 Lounge versions – which does a good job of mimicking the 500′s analogue instruments but with a central section that can be configured to display stuff like trip information and allows for more detailed information on everything from gear shifts to SatNav info (where specced). The biggest mechanical update comes with the arrival of a 104bhp version of the 0.9 litre TwinAir engine promising 0-62mph in 10 seconds (and it’ll feel a lot quicker) and official economy of 67.3mpg (you’ll get a lot less).

BMW X3 gets a turbo four-cylinder

BMW is expanding the use of its N20 turbocharged four-cylinder engine by making it the base powerplant for the 2013 X3 SUV. The X3 xDrive28 will use the twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Twin-scroll turbocharging means that the exhaust stream of cylinders one and four follow a separate path to the turbine wheel from cylinders two and three.