Focus Eastern Catalytic Direct-fit Catalytic Converters - 49-state Legal - 30502 on 2040-parts.com

Lexus IS 300h promises unrivalled ownership costs

The new Lexus IS - launched at Detroit in January and costing from £26,495 for the IS 250 in the UK – actually offers ownership costs that eclipse diesel offerings from the likes of Jaguar, BMW, Audi and Mercedes, say Lexus. Despite the logical assumption that the complex hybrid powerplant in the IS 300h would cost more to maintain, Lexus say the opposite is true. Because it has no clutch and the starter motor and alternator are integrated they require no servicing or replacement and Lexus has fitted a timing chain instead of a timing belt, so it won’t need regular replacement either.

Citroen DS4 teased

The first teaser shot of the Citroen DS4 We already have the Citroen DS3 – the ‘Luxury’ version of the C3 – and, as we reported last year, next in line are the DS4 and DS5. And the first to come will be the Citroen DS4 and Citroen have now started the inevietable ‘Tease’ with the picture you see above. The Citroen DS4 will be mechanically based on the new C4, but will be very much its own car.

Plug-In 2013 conference plugs along

Every now and then, the electric car industry comes together in a sort of Woodstock-of-the-Watt-Hour to take stock of itself and to exchange ideas, sign contracts and maybe have a beer. The most recent parliament of the plug-in was last week in San Diego at an annual industry event known as Plug-In 2013, although obviously they change the year in the title as necessary. Why keep gathering?