Ford builds it, you test it

Only a select few usually get the opportunity to test out upcoming vehicles. Ford is bucking that trend by allowing customers to sign up at BuiltToughTest.com, and get the chance to explain how they would put the aluminum reinforced 2015 Ford F-150 to the test. Product development does extensive testing to the extremes, going as far as disguising the F-150 and running it through the 2013 Baja 1000.

Volvo reveals C30 BEV electric car

By Tom Sharpe First Official Pictures 17 September 2009 11:44 Battery power is back on the menu at Volvo with this, a C30 plug-in hybrid. The electric Volvo C30 BEV wasn’t at Frankfurt, and the Swedes announced the zero-emissions runaround today – along with details of a 92-mile range, 80mph top speed and 0-62mph sprint of less than 11 seconds. The BEV stands for Battery Electric Vehicle and Volvo’s new plug-in hybrid could be introduced to the C30 range by 2012, bosses say.

Crunch watch June 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard, Ben Pulman and Peter Adams Motor Industry 30 June 2009 11:35 Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour  Tuesday 30 June 2009• Porsche says it is no longer applying to the German Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau central bank for a €1.75 billion bridging loan. This means it'll now have to seek finance elsewhere (Porsche) • Seat announces its best-ever month for used car sales; it sold 915 second-hand cars in May (Seat)Monday 29 June 2009• Jaguar Land Rover has opened its first showroom in India.