2005 2006 2007 2008 Ford Econoline 150 250 350 450 Van Dark Shadow Gray Touch Up on 2040-parts.com

Volvo V40 Cross Country (2012) first official pictures

Volvo is beefing up the V40 hatch with the new V40 Cross Country - a rough 'n' ready soft-roader to be shown at the 2012 Paris motor show. Ring any bells? Cast your mind back to 1997 and the release of the V70 Cross Country, to which the V40 Cross Country owes its existence. Volvo V40 Cross Country: 'all-road' performance The V40 Cross Country comes in front- or all-wheel drive formats, topped by the 2.5-litre T5 that’ll churn out 250bhp and pass 0-60mph in six seconds. A 40mm ride height increase is likely to limit on-road performance, but should come in handy should you need to traverse any troublesome countryside on the school run.

Driven: Range Rover Evoque

As Sam Livingstone opines in his review of the latest Porsche 911, we are in a period of car design consolidation, with the new 911 the ultimate expression of a slightly suffocating trend. Yet every so often, a vehicle appears that breaks these rules and – through a combination of factors that can be difficult to quantify – captures the imagination, becoming a symbol of the times and an overnight market success. Such vehicles tend to emerge once a decade or so, yet the late 90s and early noughties were extraordinary for giving birth to three – the Ford Ka of '96, Audi TT of '98 and Mini of '01.

BMW ActiveE: Electric BMW 1-Series at Geneva

BMW 1-Series Electric - BMW ActiveE It’s been a while since we first saw the BMW ActiveE, the BMW 1-Series with the gubbins from the MINI E bolted under the bonnet (and various other places) and intended as the next instalment in BMW’s plans to charge its customers to do real-world development and research. In fact, the electric BMW 1-Series first crossed our radar in December 2009 and went on to be shown as a concept at the Detroit Motor Show a month later. And now it’s back at the Geneva Motor Show in March, only now it’s production-ready.