1996 Skidoo Sls 500 Engine on 2040-parts.com

Italian firm buys stake in Aston Martin

The former owner of Italian motorcycle maker Ducati has bought a 37.5-percent stake in financially strapped British car maker Aston Martin. The move means future Astons could use modern drivelines and electric architectures from Mercedes-Benz's AMG division, insiders with knowledge of the deal suggest. Private equity fund Investindustrial has signed a memorandum of understanding with current Aston Martin owner Investment Dar of Kuwait that will see it pay $240 million (150 million pounds) for the ownership stake.

Citroen C-XR concept looks like Citroen’s take on the Peugeot 2008: Beijing Motor Show

The Citroen C-XR Concept (pictured) debuts in Beijing The Citroen DS 6WR was revealed last week as a new SUV heading for the Beijing Motor Show, but it turns out it’s not the only Citroen SUV making a debut in Beijing. The Citroen C-XR concept – a creation of the joint venture between Citroen and China’s Dongfeng – has also been revealed as a compact SUV / Crossover, and looks like the Citroen take on the Peugeot 2008. With styling that says more SUV than Crossover – added butch bits, wide chunky nose and a statement grill – the C-XR looks production-ready, and although Citroen has done what it can to make the C-XR look like a proper SUV it appears it won’t be getting 4WD.

Global GM chassis starts testing

By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 10 August 2006 09:26 General Motors' new Epsilon II chassis – to be employed around the world by Vauxhall/Opel, Saab, Chevrolet and other brands – has hit the road for testing. Pictured here beneath the next Chevrolet Malibu, the modular front- and all-wheel drive architecture will also underpin the Vauxhall Vectra and Saab's new 9-3 and 9-5. GM is grouping its core models to save cash, and harmonising production processes so that plants can churn out multiple models according to demand.