99-04 Excursion/superduty Smoke Headlamps Headlights on 2040-parts.com

Pierre Authier: I'm not moving to Opel/Vauxhall

As the ongoing General Motors designer saga continues, the latest Opel/Vauxhall Vice President of Design elect, Pierre Authier has taken his name off the shortlist for the Rüsselsheim. Car Design News had received information from a reliable source within PSA about Authier's supposed move, however we have since spoken to Pierre, who was keen to put the record straight: “I read the flattering article on my recruitment as VP of Design for Opel/Vuaxhall, but this information is false,” he told CDN. “I am really enjoying my position at Peugeot and with the 208 family team that has made such incredible work.” The search for the missing piece in the GM puzzle continues.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron price and specs – costs £34,950

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (pictured) costs £34,950 If governments are going to base car taxation on Co2 emissions, then car makers are going to build cars that ‘game’ the official tests. A perfect example of which is the new Audi A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid. It’s expensive at £34,950 (although the government bribe for plug-ins does drop the price you pay to £29,950), but thanks to its ‘up to 31 miles’ range on battery power only it comes complete with official economy of 176.6 mpg and emissions of 37g/km.

Hyundai Genesis, Ford F-150 win awards at the Detroit auto show

On Sunday of the Detroit Auto Show, Hyundai Genesis won the 2009 North American Car of the Year award, nipping the Ford Flex by a miniscule nine-point margin. The redesigned Ford F-150 pickup, the odds-on favorite in the truck category, was named 2009 North American Truck of the Year. Genesis beat out the Flex and the third-place finisher, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, despite being the first Korean car ever nominated for the award.