1966 Pontiac Lemans Passenger 326 Front Fender Emblem on 2040-parts.com

Concept Car of the Week: Italdesign Machimoto (1986)

The Machimoto might look and sound like a Japanese concept, but it was developed in Europe in the Turin-based Italdesign studio, and was based on a Volkswagen Golf GTI platform. The name actually derives from MACHIna (car in Italian) and MOTOciclo (motorcycle) as the perfect hybrid between the worlds of two- and four-wheelers. Unveiled on its home turf at the Turin motor show in 1986, it landed like a UFO, shocking both the public and the press.

First Sight: Renault Clio

The Clio is perhaps the most successful and certainly the longest standing model of the Renault range and this is the new third-generation version of this European market small B-sector hatchback. When the first generation Clio replaced the Renault 5 in 1990 it was the smallest car in the Renault line up, now the Clio is one of a small range of similarly-sized Renault models all based off the same platform shared with the Nissan Micra/March and Cube.   Specification The Clio will be launched first as a three-door with the five-door to follow, and will be available with a choice of petrol 1.2-litre (75hp), 1.4-litre (98hp) and 1.6-litre (113hp), and a 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine in a choice of three power outputs: 70hp, 86hp and 106hp.

New 2014 VW Golf R gets 296bhp – first photos

The 2014 Volkswagen Golf R (pictured) revealed ahead of its Frankfurt debut We had expected the new Volkswagen Golf R to debut at Geneva this year, but that debut turned out to be the rather disappointing Mk 6 VW Golf R Cabrio, that not only sacrificed 4WD but came at a silly price (which VW subsequently dropped by more than £5k). But this time there’s no mistake, and the 2014 version of the VW Golf R – complete with 4WD, we’re pleased to say -will arrive next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show before going on sale in early 2014. Under the bonnet the 2.0 litre petrol turbo delivers a healthy 296bhp (300PS) and 280lb/ft of torque which is sent to all four wheels through VW’s latest Haldex 4Motion 4WD, with the ability to decouple the back axle drive under low load conditions and send almost all the power to the back wheels too when demanded.