20" Dodge. Hemi Rims on 2040-parts.com

New Volvo V40 & Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid Goodwood Festival of Speed debut

The new Volvo V40 and the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid will get their UK debut at the Moving Motor Show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Volvo have been on something of a roll since the Chinese took the reins, and are starting to look like they’re capable of moving from the no man’s land between mainstream and premium in to proper premium car territory. The new Volvo that jumps out as capable of taking on BMW and Mercedes is the new Volvo V40, a very stylish and appealing package that looks like it will be able to hold its own against the new A Class and 1 Series.

Mercedes Biome (2010) first official pictures

Now, what on earth, or for that matter not from earth have we got here? It's the Mercedes Biome concept supercar. It's a product of Merc's Los Angeles design studio, and they prefer to describe it as an 'Ultralight vehicle at one with nature.' The Biome was produced as part of the Los Angeles Design Challenge, taking part alongside the 2010 LA auto show.

Toyota & Lexus: Hybrid sales in Europe hit 20%

The ‘Green’ evangelists want to get us all driving electric cars to save the planet, but in the real world car drivers want a car that offers them all the practicality of a normal ICE car, but without the penalties of the poor range, high cost and inconvenience of an EV. So, with ever-rising fuel costs, it’s no wonder car buyers are willing to pay a little more for a car that offers better economy at the pumps – which plays straight in to the hands of Hybrid pioneers Toyota. The result is that Toyota and Lexus now see a full 20 per cent of their sale in Europe being hybrid cars in the first quarter of 2013, with sales of hybrid cars up a massive 82 per cent year-on-year.