00 Triumph Sprint 955i St Sidestand Kickstand Side Kick Stand Mount Bracket on 2040-parts.com

VW Scirocco GTS launches – but not in UK

There’s a new Scirocco available across Europe from this month – the VW Scirocco GTS – but it’s not coming to the UK. The GTS is more of a trim level than a stand-alone model and you can grab it with a variety of engines – 1.4 litre TSI, 2.0 litre TSI and 2.0 litre TDI – as the GTS trim just adds cosmetic tweaks to the Scirocco and nothing in the way of power or performance upgrades. Those cosmetic tweaks amount to  thumping great black stripes up the bonnet bordered by thinner red stripes (which all continues over the top and down the back of the GTS), red covers for the door mirrors, 18″ alloys, a spoiler at the back (nicked from the Scirocco R) and a more butch back bumper with diffuser.

918 Alert! Porsche's stinging spyder grows closer to becoming reality

The first fully road-going prototype of Porsche's upcoming 202-mph hybrid-powered 918 Spyder has been seen during shakedown runs at the company's R&D center in Germany. Porsche released its own lightly disguised photographs of the cars being tested. The mules are “camouflaged” in livery meant to summon the famous 917 racer.

Mercedes introduces illuminated three-pointed star [w/video]

Illuminated badges and emblems on cars aren't a new idea – those old enough to remember will recall the warm glow of the old Wolseley grille emblems – but in recent history they have been the reserve of concept cars and the aftermarket. Mercedes is set to restart the trend however as it begins to offer an LED-illuminated star as a dealer-fit option on the E–, GL–, M– and CLS–Class. We've started to see lighting spill out onto the exterior of concept cars for a while and this move is sure to have other OEMs and aftermarket firms alike following Mercedes' lead.