Vin An Trim Plates on 2040-parts.com

New, Cleaner Diesel For Sporty Astra GTC Coupe

KEEN to boost availability of its new, greener diesel engine, Vauxhall has fitted it’s ‘whisper’ 1.6-litre motor to its rakish three-door Astra GTC. The coupe bodied Astra joins the five-door and estate Sports Tourer models, and it boasts numbers that should appeal to tax-savvy company car drivers as well as private buyers seeking to save some cash. The engine replaces the 1.7 CDTi, providing 136 horsepower - a slight increase on the outgoing unit- delivered through an improved six-speed manual transmission.

Film Friday: 'Styling and the Experimental Car' takes us from Da Vinci to the Ford Mustang

Last time we popped into the Ford Design Studios, it was the late 1960s and everyone was strung out on black turtlenecks and jazz flute. We're traveling a few years further back in time today, but Ford Design Studios remains our destination. "Styling and the Experimental Car," released in 1964, doesn't start off like a modern promo piece might.

BMX X1 invades U.S. this fall priced at $31,545

At the New York auto show last month, we learned that the BMW X1 compact SUV would be coming to the United States. Now we know that it will arrive on our shores in fall 2012, with a base price of $31,545 including $895 destination. According to BMW, the X1 has been a tremendous success, with more than 275,000 copies sold worldwide.