Driven: Renault Megane Coupe concept

Renault design this century hasn't exactly met with universal approval. The Vel Satis, though radical, was largely unloved. The Avantime lasted only a couple of years in production.

Nissan GT-R 2011/2012 tweaks leak out

The Nissan GT-R 2011 (2012 MY) Nissan don’t seem to be able to stop tweaking, nipping and tucking the Nissan GT-R, so it comes as no surprise to see that there are more changes planned for the 2012 MY (for which read 2011 everywhere bar the USA). We’re expecting those to surface around the same time this year – November – as the 2010 Nissan GT-R updates did last year GTR Blog are reporting the changes well ahead of anything official, but they look as if they’ve got some solid information so it’s worth repeating for the many GT-R nuts out there. Having nipped and tucked endlessly, it looks like Nissan are going to continue the trend for next year’s GT-R.

Toyota RAV4 EV (2012) - a Toyota/Tesla electric SUV

The Toyota RAV4 has been turned into the only all-electric SUV on the market after a heart transplant from Tesla Motors.  The RAV4 EV has been given batteries and drivetrain bits from the Silicon Valley start-up to turn Toyota's most popular SUV into an electric-only vehicle with a 100-mile range. Toyota RAV4 EV: how it works A massive 422kg of batteries provide the power for the RAV4 EV, mounted low down in the centre of the vehicle to improve weight distribution. Toyota says that despite the new powertrain, no compromises have been made on passenger space.  Two driving modes offer a choice of speed or economy, Normal and Sport. Normal will send the RAV4 from 0-60mph in 8.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 85mph; Sport mode will take you there in 7.0sec and up to 100mph.