Enthusiast demand forces Aston’s hand: V12 Vantage coming America

Thanks to enthusiasts, the most powerful road-going Aston Martin ever is coming to the United States. The British sports-car maker confirmed on Friday that the V12 Vantage--packing 510 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque--will be sold in North and South America. This is a reversal from a year ago, when Aston tantalizingly showed off the car and promptly said it wasn’t coming here.

UK new car sales hit a ten-year high

UK new car sales continue to scale new heights, with more new cars sold in March 2014 than in any month in the past decade. Sales figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that 464,824 new cars were registered last month – a 17.7% rise over March 2014. It continues the trend of rocketing sales, with year-to-date registrations up 13.7%.

New high-performance BMW X5 M50d diesel in pictures

BMW has released pictures and details of the new X5 M50d, a 381hp super-diesel SUV with the world’s most powerful straight-six diesel engine. It will join the new, third-generation X5 range, which is set to go on sale in the UK this November with prices starting at £42,590. The engine carries over from the previous X5 M50d, but the 2013 version is both quicker and more fuel-efficient.