New Sealing Ring Volvo Penta, 853670 on 2040-parts.com

2014 Subaru XV – less choice, more refinement

The 2014 Subaru XV (pictured) gets a bit of a tweak The Subaru XV arrived in the UK in 2012, and it’s a perfectly able and reasonably-priced compact crossover from Subaru. But within a year of launching the XV Subaru decided to inject a bit more appeal in to the XV with a price cut of £2,300 across the range and now, not more than six months later, they’re fiddling with the XV range again. The 2.0 litre petrol XV gets new valve-train components to cut engine noise and revised suspension, with extra soundproofing improving NVH levels across the range, a revised power steering system for added stability and feel  and thicker and reshaped suspension lower arm and extra reinforcement around the base of the A-Pillar for better crash performance.

Bentley will return to top-level motorsport

Bentley will return to top-level motorsport, new chief executive Wolfgang Durheimer has revealed. Bentley pulled out of racing after its 2001-2003 stint at Le Mans, culminating in an outright win in its last year at the 24-hour race. But Durheimer, who was previously Porsche's R&D chief and who now runs the Volkswagen Group's entire motorsport division, is keen that Bentley will return to the track and revive Crewe's long and storied motorsport history.

Peter Horbury replaces Steve Mattin as Vice President of Design at Volvo Cars

Ford Motor Company announced key changes to both Volvo Cars and Ford's Americas design operations today. Effective May 1, Peter Horbury, currently Executive Director of Ford Americas Design, will return to Volvo as Vice President of Design, replacing Steve Mattin who, according to Volvo, "elected to leave the company". Insider sources tell us he was forced out.