New Car Sales Increase Again

NEW registrations in July 2014 totalled 172,907 - a 6.6% rise on the July 2013 figure, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The latest figures took the year-so-far total to 1,460,172 - a 10.1% rise on the January-July 2013 total. As a result, the SMMT has now upwardly revised its prediction for sales for the whole of 2014, forecasting that a total of 2.45 million could be reached.

Spyker, Youngman plan to build Saab-based cars

Dutch supercar maker Spyker says it will form two joint ventures with China's Zhejiang Youngman to produce Saab-based vehicles and a luxury SUV under the terms of a deal that will give Youngman a 29.9-percent share in Spyker. Youngman was one of the Chinese companies Spyker turned to for investment when it was trying to revive the Saab brand under its ownership. After failing to get approval for the sale from General Motors, a former Saab owner, the deal with Youngman collapsed and Saab was declared bankrupt in December 2011.

Concept Car of the Week: Ford Mustang RSX Concept (1979)

In the late ‘70s, Ford commissioned carrozzeria Ghia to build a concept car based on the Fox platform to help promote its third generation Mustang. Probably inspired by the Escort RS's success at the World Rally Championship, the concept was dubbed RSX – standing for Rally Sport Experimental – and the Fox platform-based Mustang was modified as a rally car. To improve the handling, the wheelbase from the Fox was shortened by 142mm, the track was widened by around 25mm at the rear while the ride height was increased for off-tarmac stages of European rallies.