2014 Honda Rancher/foreman/rubicon Right Side Plastic on 2040-parts.com

Family Favourite Gets A Refresh

FORD has taken the wraps off its refreshed Focus. The car, which remains a firm favourite with both private buyers and business users, gains a more distinctive nose and a technology boost. Expected to hit the showrooms later this year, the Focus adopts Ford’s new exterior nose treatment – a version of which has already been adapted for the recently refreshed Fiesta supermini.

Skoda Yeti rolls out

The first Skoda Yeti has rolled of the production line in the Czech Republic - Delivery in the UK starts in September The Skoda Yeti is a promising, rufty-tufty ‘SmallRoader’, based on parent company VW’s Tiguan. But the Skoda holds the promise of more for less, a trick Skoda has managed to pull off with a number of VW products. Skoda has also been out playing with the Yeti in Norway, exposing it to a wide variety of off and on-road surfaces to shake it down properly before the first customer cars are ready for delivery.

Ford agrees to sell Aston Martin

Ford Motor Company announced this week it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Aston Martin, its prestigious UK sports car business. The new owner of Aston Martin is a consortium comprised of: David Richards, founder and chairman of Prodrive, a world-leading motorsport and automotive technology company; John Sinders, an avid Aston Martin collector and a backer of Aston Martin Racing; and Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co, international investment companies headquartered in Kuwait. The sale is expected to close during the second quarter and the transaction values Aston Martin at GBP 479 million ($925 million). As part of the transaction, Ford will retain a GBP 40 million ($77 million) investment in Aston Martin.