New Peugeot 208 production cut as sales disappoint

Peugeot is cutting back on production of the new 208 as its sales fail to reach expectations, just six months on from launch. It’s not enough when Europe is ion the midst of an economic crisis and car buyers are polarised between ‘budget’ cars that offer more for less than mainstream offerings and ‘Premium’ models that are bought on the back of a preconceived notion of more kudos. That leaves car makers like Peugeot (and Renault, Citroen, Vauxhall, Ford, Opel, Fiat…) between a rock and a hard place, unable – or unwilling – to compete with the offerings from Korea and saddled with a brand that doesn’t have the ‘class’ of an Audi or a BMW or a Mercedes or even a VW.

Top Gear apologises to the Mexicans. Sort of.

Those well know Top Gear bigots at the NTA Awards You all know the background. Top Gear takes the piss. Out of everyone, regardless of race, creed, colour, nationality, political persuasion or personal background.

Rolls-Royce Ghost V-Specification dialed up to 593-hp

Just before a refreshed Rolls-Royce Ghost debuts at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the British automaker has rolled out a performance edition of its "entry level" sedan with 593-hp underhood. The standard Ghost sedan wasn't exactly short on power until the announcement of the V-Specification version -- the company's 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine produces 563-hp and 575 lb-ft of stump-pulling torque in standard form. Yes, gone are the days when Rolls-Royce declined to disclose exact power figures and simply listed their powerplants' output as "adequate." Now Rolls-Royce is forced to compete in this cutthroat market with its performance stats, it seems.