27 " Id Wide Center Or Side Boat Windshield, Low Profile on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes A45 AMG takes aim at the Audi RS3

The performance version of the new Mercedes A Class – which looks like it’s going to be the Mercedes A45 AMG – is gunning for the Audi RS3. We know that car makers have other car makers’ models in their firing line when they plan a new model. But it’s not all that common for them to publicly admit it.

Budget 2014: Fuel Duty freeze, Classic Car VED & £200 million for potholes

No fuel tax increase, and 40 year rolling road tax exemption for cars. Most of the 2014 Budget headlines are about cuts in cost for beer and bingo and help for pension prisoners held to ransom by annuity regulations. But in amongst there’s some good news for motorists; nothing that will change your world, but welcome nonetheless.

Bertone Jaguar B99 GT concept (2011) at the Geneva motor show

Bertone B99 GT – the racing version Next to the fully-trimmed B99 show car on Bertone's stand is an exterior mock-up of a GT2-class racing B99.  Two additional electric motors up front mean the GT has 972bhp all wheel drive capability.  A carbonfibre splitter, diffuser and flat undertray are matched with a massive bootlid wing.  There's enormous side-exit exhausts for the range-extender generator, a 100mm lowering job and a lurid green paintjob.  It’s an extreme way for Bertone to highlight the dual images of luxury and performance that Jaguar has in its heritage – particularly since there aren’t currently any saloons in the FIA GT2 series.  Perhaps they should have painted it in a '70s Broadspeed XJC touring car livery to get the full effect. More details on the Bertone B99 exterior design Bertone claims that it has modernized classic Jaguar three-box saloon design with the B99, with Bertone’s design chief Mike Robinson and his team drawing inspiration not just from past Jaguars, but the stealthy big cat that lends its name and image to the brand.  They coined the slogan "Cunning Glamour with Race-Bred Innovation” to embody the B99’s design… but from the two cars on the stand it looks like reconciling those disparate aims in the one vehicle may have been a bit beyond them. The roofline has been shortened and lowered in proportion to a conventional three-box body, inspired by a Jaguar cat stalking its prey.