New V12 engine set to power baby Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce said Monday that the upcoming production version of the 200EX concept car revealed at the Geneva motor show earlier this month will be powered by turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 engine. Part of a new family of gasoline engines developed by parent company BMW--among which is the turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 used in the 7-series--the new four-valve-per-cylinder engine receives the latest in direct-injection technology and is claimed to produce in excess of 500 hp. With the smaller V8 developing 442 lb-ft of torque in the range-topping BMW, the new V12 destined for the price-leading Rolls-Royce is expected to be in the vicinity of 553 lb-ft--something that should ensure what the British carmaker likes to refer to as traditional waftability--in other words, relaxed cruising.

GM blocks Saab sale to China

GM block Saab. No Saab 9-5 or 9-4X for the Chinese Last week we had the first reaction from GM to the announcement that Saab was to be sold to China’s Youngman and Pang Da. And it wasn’t positive.

Car Insurance ‘Black Box’ a good idea? We find out.

We’ve been testing a new ‘Telematics’ App from Confused.com which mimics the ‘Black Box’ technology insurers are offering in an attempt to make car insurance cheaper. The inexorable rise and rise of car insurance premiums is a fact of life, and will continue until government gets a handle on ambulance-chasing lawyers and the UK’s idiotic whiplash claims industry. But if you’re looking to find a way to cut your insurance premiums, then having a ‘Black ‘Box’ fitted to your car to monitor your driving so you get charged for how much – and how well – you drive looks a promising idea.