Parts Blog
Studiotorino unveils Porsche Cayman-based Moncenisio
Tue, 25 Mar 2014Studiotorino is an Italian coachbuilder, based in the city that its name suggests -- on the banks of the Po River, deep in the heart of Turin. It came to prominence thanks to a smattering of projects: a buttressed, fastback Mercedes-Benz SL, a Fiat 500 named after beloved Italian pulp hero Diabolik and a Maserati Quattroporte wagon that they appropriately renamed "Cinqueporte." But Studiotorino is also infatuated with the Porsche Cayman. To that end, the firm has introduced the Moncenisio, a Rhapsody in Blue rebody of the Typ 981 that aims to do for German sports cars what Figoni et Falaschi did for the Delahaye and what Porcubimmer Motors did for a BMW 3-Series.
Higher speed limits result in fewer crashes
Tue, 25 Mar 2014Raising the speed limit can make roads safer, according to a study carried out in Denmark. The Danish Road Directorate monitored how driver behaviour and accident rates changed when speed limits on country roads and motorways were increased. Need for Speed film review 60mph M1 motorway speed limit proposed Auto Express magazine reported that there was a drop in the number of accidents when the speed limit on single carriageway roads was increased from 50mph to 56mph.
Honda shift cut threat to 340 jobs
Tue, 25 Mar 2014JAPANESE car giant Honda is to cut production at its UK factory from three shifts to two, threatening 340 jobs. Most cars built at the plant in Swindon, Wiltshire, are exported and sales in other countries have not been as strong as in the UK. "Over the last 12 months, we haven't seen the growth we'd anticipated.
Barn Find Lagonda Could Fetch Six Figures at Restoration Show Sale
Tue, 25 Mar 2014IT might not look much, but this extremely rare 1939 Lagonda V12 Hooper two door saloon that has covered just 40,000 miles from new and, crucially, has been estimated to fetch between £75,000 and £100,000 at the forthcoming Restoration Show Sale, at the NEC, Birmingham on April 12th. The unique car was built for the wife of the owner of Hooper Bodies Ltd, the most noted coach builder of the era, and first registered in August 1939. With the onset of war just weeks later the car was placed into storage before being sold to a Mr Harry Ellard in 1952.
Porsche confirms smaller four-cylinder engines
Tue, 25 Mar 2014Porsche has confirmed it will reduce its CO2 emissions by introducing four-cylinder engines in the next Boxster and Cayman models. CEO Matthias Müller told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport magazine that road cars will follow the lead set by the Le Mans Porsche 919 we first saw at Geneva, by being fitted with smaller, turbocharged engines. 2014 Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS revealed Porsche 919 Hybrid at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show Although Porsche hasn’t officially given any performance figures for the new four-cylinder petrol engine, Müller reportedly said it would boast up to 400hp – making it more powerful than the outgoing six-cylinder models, including the range-topping GTS unveiled last week.
Updated 2014 Volkswagen Polo prices confirmed
Tue, 25 Mar 2014Volkswagen has confirmed its new 2014 Polo supermini will go on sale in the UK on 23 April 2014, with prices starting from £11,100 for the entry-level 60hp 1.0-litre S variant. Prices rise to £19,715 for the range-topping five-door Polo Blue GT model fitted with VW’s 150hp 1.4-litre TSI petrol turbo engine with cylinder deactivation technology. It is mated to a six-speed manual as standard, or the firm’s seven-speed DSG gearbox as an option.
One Lap of the Web: Small cars, thrifty cars and AWESOME cars
Tue, 25 Mar 2014-- In Mexico, Chevrolet launched a special version of the Spark called the Dot Edition. It has dots on the hood, roof, and bumper. That says it all, really.
Call For Widespread Use of Anti-Crash Car Tech
Tue, 25 Mar 2014THE insurance industry’s research centre, Thatcham Research, has said that thousands of lives could be saved if there were Government incentives for drivers buying cars with anti-crash technology. According to the organisation, initial UK market data shows cars equipped with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) have 18% fewer third-party injury claims. Thatcham's chief executive Peter Shaw has called for support for his company's Stop the Crash campaign, which plans to ask the Treasury to introduce and fund a £500 incentive for those choosing to buy new cars with AEB fitted.
Alfa Romeo 4C to spearhead marque's return to the US
Tue, 25 Mar 2014Alfa Romeo is coming back to the U.S. this summer, and at next month's New York auto show the company will present the 4C Coupe to the American public. We need to take a step back to point out that even though the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione was officially sold on our shores in a handful of locations (to a smattering of well-heeled buyers), the automaker's planned return this summer will offer cars for--ahem--a slightly larger audience.
Toyota’s Take On Personal Transport Hits The Streets
Tue, 25 Mar 2014JAPANESE car maker Toyota has launched the first public trials of its ultra-compact i-Road electric three-wheeled ‘personal mobility vehicle’ to find out how it shapes up in the cut-and-thrust of real-world urban driving. Consumer testing in Tokyo is set to run through to early June, with 10 of the single-seater vehicles taking to the city streets. The 20 people involved in the programme range from industry experts through to members of the general public, so that Toyota can gain a wide range of feedback on what the i-Road is like to drive, how easy it is to use around town, how it affects people’s decisions about what journeys to make.
