2012+ Volkswagen Passat Mk7 Oem Center Console on 2040-parts.com

Smart's $99 loan deal has big balloon payment at end

Hoping to benefit from the federal cash-for-guzzlers program, Smart USA has set up a $99 monthly payment for buyers who use their $4,500 rebate. But there's a catch--and a hefty balloon payment disclosed only as a note to an asterisk in Smart's press information announcing the offer. The Smart financing is for $99 a month for 36 months, with a balloon payment of $6,667 due at the end.

Jaguar & Land Rover to share more platforms. But you already knew that.

As Jaguar and Land Rover expand their model range and move to aluminium construction, they plan to share more platforms. Jaguar has been using an aluminium platform for the XJ for some time – long before the latest XJ came along. The aluminium platform the XJ uses is just the start for Jaguar Land Rover, as we reported back in 2009, and it seems that JLR are planning to use the move to aluminium underpinnings to cut their platforms to just two or three.

New 2014 Audi A3 Cabriolet revealed ahead of Frankfurt

The new 2014 Audi A3 Cabriolet (pictured) arrives in the UK next spring. The new Audi A3 Cabriolet has been revealed, and it’s bigger, lighter and better looking than before. Based on the underpinnings of the new A3 Saloon, rather than the A3 hatch as before, means the new A3 Cabriolet has better proportions, a bigger boot, more room and yet weighs in at around 50kg less than the old model.