Vintage Rally Sign / Plaque # 13. Int. Bmw Veteran Rally Baden Baden 1989 No. 99 on 2040-parts.com

Sergio Scaglietti: 1920-2011

One of the most iconic names in Italian coachbuilding has died. Sergio Scaglietti, famous for creating some of the most beautiful and valuable cars in the world, passed away earlier this week at the age of 91, in his home town of Modena, Italy. The name Scaglietti is synonymous with Ferrari, the moniker still being carried on the 612 flagship model, and it is a pairing that runs deeper than crossbranding and business.

Lexus IS Coupe arriving in 2014 & IS F V8 on the way

Now it looks like Lexus is going to bring the LF-CC to production life in 2014 as the Lexus IS Coupe (although there are rumours it could be the RC, but that may be for a production version of the even more appealing LF-LC as a range-topping Lexus Coupe) and equip it with the same petrol engine and hybrid options as the IS saloon. What is also in prospect is a return of the IS F – complete with sizeable V8 power – which, if it does arrive, will see the IS Coupe coming with the F engine option and making a very promising foray in to the powerful V8 Coupe market. What doesn’t seem likely is that Lexus are going to bother with a diesel option for the IS or Coupe, despite conventional wisdom saying they need a diesel option to compete in Europe because - as they’ve already demonstrated with the IS 300h – they can deliver an appealing and competitive hybrid with decent performance and price, and bring it in with under 100g/km emissions – perfect for the business market.

Infiniti planning new global flagship model

Infiniti is planning a flagship, sporty four-door coupe in the mold of the Porsche Panamera as the joint flagship of its expanding range. The sweeping-looking four-door will take its styling inspiration from the Infiniti Essence concept penned by design chief Shiro Nakamura and first shown at the Geneva motor show in 2009. The new car is part of Infiniti's ambitious plan to become a serious global luxury brand by carving out 10 percent of that market, equivalent to about 500K sales by 2020 and backed up by a significantly expanded model range and huge investment from parent Nissan.