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Volvo S60 L plug-in petrol hybrid heading for Beijing Motor Show

The Volvo S60L Plug-in (pictured) heading for Beijing The Volvo V60 Plug-in is already doing good business for Volvo – despite a price tag of £50k – but the V60 plug-in is a diesel hybrid which doesn’t suit all markets. So Volvo are ploughing ahead with a petrol engine based plug-in hybrid with the debut at the Beijing Motor Show next week of the Volvo S60 L Plug-in, a petrol hybrid version of the long wheelbase S60. At first glance the S60 Plug-in looks just like its regular ICE sibling, but under the skin sits a 2.0 litre Drive-E petrol engine with 238bhp and 258lb/ft of torque – which drives the front wheels – and a 68bhp electric motor with 147lb/ft of torque that can drive the rear wheels, which can be recharged in 4.5 hours.

Rush hour roadworks to disappear?

Philip Hammond wants an end to rush hour road works Little is more frustrating for a driver than encountering roadworks in rush hour. Even more frustrating are roadworks that seem to be inactive. But that could be about to change.

Show Preview: Frankfurt motor show 2011

The biannual Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung, or the Frankfurt motor show, is again due to take place this September, swapping places with its sister show in Paris. One of the world's largest motor shows – certainly physically – the IAA is held at Frankfurt's Messe complex, and in recent years has been themed, with the last event in 2009 carrying the theme of ‘electrification', with virtually every manufacturer revealing a vehicle using the latest battery technology. Fittingly, the most notable unveil at that show was the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept, which was easily the most innovative and original car of 2009.