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Vauxhall VXR8 & SMART for-two CDI take MPG Marathon honours

Vauxhall VXR8 & SMART for-two CDI take MPG Marathon honours On the face of it, it’s reasonable to expect a car as small as the SMART for-two CDI to be capable of astonishing economy if driven in a certain way. And the ALD Automotive / Shell FuelSave MPG Marathon, run last week near Cirencester, proved exactly that, with a SMART driven by Mick Linford and co-driver Ella Flynn managing to use less than four gallons of diesel to cover the 370 mile route. That means the SMART fortwo CDI averaged 99.24mpg on the route on real roads, an improvement of 16 per cent on the official combined figure of 85.6.

Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid back to racing in 2012

Porsche will return to the track in 2012 with the third generation of its rolling laboratory, the 911 GT3 R hybrid. The company continues to push its technology, noting its future in the sport. “There is no way around the hybrid technology in motorsport,” said Wolfgang Hatz, board member for research and development.

Lexus LF-CC concept car (2012) first official pictures

It’s taken some time, but Lexus lovers will be delighted to learn of the new slender LF-CC concept unveiled at the Paris motor show this week, which looks set to replace the current IS range. The LF-CC concept sports a sleek coupe-style body, suggesting its latest family saloon could be a real head-turner. For the first time ever, the IS will be available with the all-new 2.5-litre full hybrid engine, which is soon to be fully incorporated into the Lexus model range.