Dorman 911-612 Vacuum Switching Valve on 2040-parts.com

Citroen C1 gets insurance ‘Black Box’ as standard. Orwellian control arrives.

Citroen has announced that the C1 Connexion will now come with a Telematics ‘Black Box’ as standard fitting as Big Brother moves closer. As if it wasn’t enough that every street corner, business and park now has at least one CCTV camera, that we’re prosecuted for ‘speeding’ by yellow boxes on poles that take no account of road conditions or circumstances and that motorists are being milked dry by ‘stupid’ box junction and red light cameras, now Citroen are to fit a telematics ‘Black Box’ as standard to its C1 Connexion. Citroen say the ‘Black Box’ fitting is so they can offer free insurance to buyers, with anyone from 19-75 getting a year’s free insurance with every C1 as long as they have at least two years no claims bonus.

Chinese car firm set to expand

CHINA’S newest car brand, aimed at the luxury end of the booming Chinese car market, is to release a second model to its range. Qoros, which introduced the 3 Sedan at the 2013 Geneva and Shanghai motor shows, is set to introduce the as-yet unnamed model in March, again at the Geneva show. Among the manufacturer’s claims are that the new car will boast European levels of materials quality, as well as advanced technology like an eight-inch touch-screen display and a Cloud-based infotainment system.

Qoros GQ3 (2013) first official pictures

New Chinese manufacturer Qoros has shown its new Focus and Golf rival - the GQ3 - ahead of its planned debut at the 2013 Geneva motor show. The first in a string of models planned for launch in China and Europe, the Qoros GQ3 is at first glance a reasonably accomplished design which should be able to compete for showroom appeal with the likes of Skoda and the Korean budget brands. Of course, what has held back Chinese car brands in the past is quality: we can't tell from these first official photos whether Qoros has cracked that or not.