Ford Oem-blower Motor Ae5z19805d on 2040-parts.com

Five reasons to celebrate the end of the paper UK driving licence

From January 2015 Britain’s much-derided paper counterpart driving licence is being phased out. This is A Good Thing, ending an annoying bi-partite arrangement that’s blighted drivers’ pockets for 16 years. Driving licences have been with us since 1903, when they were first mandated – but the current, annoyingly two-part licences have been in use since 1998, with a bank card-sized photocard accompanied by a printed sheet of A4.

Nissan news at 2009 Tokyo motor show

Carlos Ghosn, Nissan CEO and general talisman, struts his stuff with the new electric Leaf – and promises three other EVs: a van based on the NV200, a compact, high-performance, luxury four-seat Infiniti (think Lexus LF-Ch or BMW 1-series) and an urban car inspired by the crazy Land Glider concept. Yes, the leaning-over, futuristic looking Nissan Land Glider has some production intent, he vows. It looks like it’s been squished from both sides, and if you’re lanky them climbing in is quite a squeeze.

See craftsmen build the Maserati Alfieri

At Geneva earlier this month, Maserati debuted the Alfieri concept, a love letter to Maserati's first 100 years and a preview of the next few years, if not the next 100. Here, design chief Lorenzo Ramaciotti shows how the Alfieri -- named after one of the five Maserati brothers -- was inspired by the 1954 Maserati A6GCS/53, as previously threatened, especially in the proportions. But like any car, the key is always in the proportions.