Accel 5133r Super Stock Spiral Wire on 2040-parts.com

Audi A3 concept (2011) at 2011 Geneva motor show

Strip away the big wheels, give it a few numberplates and you're looking at the next Audi A3. Audi unveiled this thinly veiled production car at the 2011 Geneva motor show this morning. So this is the next Audi A3? Pretty much, although while it is undoubtedly a sharp looking saloon, from the front three-quarter angle you’d be hard pushed to work out whether this was an A3 or A6.

Ford Fiesta eWheelDrive gets wheel hub electric motors

The Ford Fiesta eWheelDrive – a driveable research vehicle built by Ford and German specialists Schaeffler – may be a regular supermini in size, but it points towards a potential future EV which is much more compact and very manoeuvrable. Ford has taken a regular Fiesta and dumped its powertrain, replacing it with a battery bank where the engine would be and fitted a pair of in-hub electric motors on the rear wheels. But the plan is to build new cars with the batteries under the floor which frees up the space under the bonnet which can then be all but removed to create a very compact urban car that still has space for four.

VW E-Bugster concept unveiled at 2012 Detroit show

Volkswagen has designs on expanding its Beetle family - and the new 2012 VW E-Bugster gives us a few clues to what's in store. As the name suggests, the E-Bugster is an electric Beetle, showcasing Wolfsburg's new e-powertrain coming to the Golf and other family members sooner than you might think. The Golf Blue-e-motion goes on sale in 2013.