Blog on 2040Parts

Discovery Sport Finally Breaks Cover

LAND ROVER has taken the wraps off its much-anticipated replacement for its current Freelander model. Called the Discovery Sport, the Brit premium car maker has decided to move its once entry-level 4x4 upmarket. Boasting styling cues inside and out from the Evoque and Range Rover Sport, the Discovery Sport is said to be more of an all-rounder than the Freelander, thanks to an increased focus on cabin space and versatility due to the inclusion of a third row of seats.

Survey Highlights Reluctance To Shop Around For Best Insurance Deals

DRIVERS in the UK are missing out on saving £2 billion by not shopping around for the best insurance deal and simply going with their automatic renewal. This means 8.2 million drivers in the UK are missing out on saving and average of £222.66 each. A study has found 36% of drivers have been with the same insurer for three years or more and less than half of all drivers (46%) check their new quote against the previous year’s to make sure they are getting the best deal.

Land Rover Discovery Sport

With the launch of the Evoque, Range Rover and Range Rover Sports, Land Rover has sufficiently bolstered its range of high-profit 'luxury' family of vehicles. Now, the Discovery Sport has been unveiled as the first of its renewed 'leisure' models. As these pictures show, the boundaries between the luxury and leisure ranges lie pretty close together, with the new Sport drawing heavily on the Evoque's design themes: a few degrees of approach angle are traded for rounder, far-less utilitarian bumpers; the character lines are more deeply cut into the bodysides and rise more steeply, and the C- and D-pillars are much faster than the outgoing Freelander/LR2's.

Old Police Car Proves A Steal For Celebrity Broadcaster

AN ECLECTIC mix of a record 155 classic motorcars spanning 50 marques and 91 years greeted the biggest ever attendance at Historics at Brooklands late summer sale on Saturday, August 30th. Prospective buyers were treated to a seven-hour auction of Historics’ largest consignments to date, culminating in a £2.65 million sale as the hammer fell for the final time on the day, with 66% of consignments finding new owners. Whilst no longer a custodian of the law, one of the very last 50-year old Daimler SP250 ‘Dart’ police cars, whose original home was Scotland Yard, delighted enthusiast and presenter Chris Evans, who purchased the concours-condition, award-winning example for £50,400, complete with its law-enforcing accoutrements, adding; “the kids love it; the big kids love it even more”.

Land Rover Discovery Sport: first pictures of 2015's family SUV

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 03 September 2014 00:01 This is the new 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport, a replacement for the Freelander, and the model that kick-starts the rejuvenation and expansion of the Discovery family. For the past four years it’s been Land Rover’s Range Rover brand getting all the love and attention, first with the Evoque (originally shown as the Land Rover-badged LRX concept), then the full-size Range Rover, and most recently with the Range Sport and LWB Range Rover. Now the focus is shifting, and it’s the turn of the Discovery nameplate, which will grow to encompass a full family of family-focused SUVs.

Bentley future design competition held at Hongik University, South Korea

Bentley has held its first design competition in collaboration with a university outside the UK. Director of design, Luc Donckerwolke, and head of exterior and advanced design, Sangyup Lee, tasked students at Hongik University in Seoul with designing a Bentley that would be released in 2040. In addition to looking to the future, students were asked to take the Bentley 'Blue Train' as inspiration: the car driven by three-time Le Mans-winner, Woolf Barnato, who, in March 1930, bet £100 that he could drive his Bentley from Cannes in the south of France to The Conservative Club in London in the time it took the luxurious Blue Train to travel from Cannes to Calais on the English Channel.

New cars can save drivers up to 25%

BUYING a new car instead of a secondhand one could save drivers as much as 25% on their motoring costs in the first year of ownership. These savings come from cheaper insurance, lower road tax costs, improved fuel economy and no MoT test. Comparing a brand new Volkswagen Golf with a five-year old model, the new car reduces the annual spend on motoring from £1689 to £1267, saving £422 in the first year of ownership.

New 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport revealed

Land Rover has revealed the all-new Discovery Sport ahead of its UK showroom debut in January 2015. The new compact SUV will seat up to seven people and is the first model from Land Rover’s new family of Discovery vehicles. The new Land Rover Discovery Sport will cost from £32,395 in the UK and the firm is promising a sub-£30,000 model for later in 2015.

Who's Where: CCS appoints Sally Erickson Wilson as chair of new color and materials design MA

The College for Creative Studies (CCS) has appointed Sally Erickson Wilson as associate professor and chair of its new Master of Fine Arts degree program in Color and Materials Design. Erickson Wilson moves to the school from Johnson Controls where she was design manager responsible for leading the North American fabric design team. As chair of the course, Erickson Wilson will be responsible for the graduate curriculum and will help students to develop an eye for color differentiation, materials craftsmanship and quality assessment.

Opinion: Discovery Sport and the long-term ramifications of pandering to the crossover convergence

Having pored over the first pictures of the new Land Rover Discovery Sport and consumed the accompanying official literature, we’re left wondering why it shares so much of its design treatment with the Range Rover Evoque, while simultaneously removing the last vestiges of utility from the Discovery nameplate. From its virtually indistinguishable grille and lamp graphics, over its tapered roofline to its bespoilered tail, it’s hard to describe it as anything other than a derivative of the Evoque. The difference between a Discovery and a Range Rover it would seem, is a body coloured C-pillar.

2015 Hyundai i20 INTERIOR revealed

2015 Hyundai i20 INTERIOR revealed Hyundai has already had two bites at the cherry with the reveal of the new 2015 i20 – first with some design sketches and then an almost complete reveal ten days later – but now they’ve finally finished the reveal (and had three lots of column inches for the price of one) with more details and the first interior photos. Hyundai say the new i20′s interior is colourful and comfortable, and they look to have worked on pushing the i20′s interior closer to that of German rivals. Plenty of premium soft-touch materials make the interior a nicer place to be – and to touch – and colour blocks are used to help create an air of spaciousness.

New Land Rover Discovery Sport OFFICIALLY revealed – price from £32,395 (video)

The new Land Rover Discovery Sport arrives officially Here it is: the new Land Rover Discovery Sport, a replacement for the Land Rover Freelander and the first in a family of new Discovery models. And it looks to hit the mark. The new Discovery Sport cleverly moves Land Rover’s design forward, but the Sport is clearly a Land Rover / Range Rover.

As Autumn Term Starts IAM Warns Drivers Of Distracted Youngsters

LEADING road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has issued a warning to drivers to stay on their guard on their daily commute, as distracted youngsters make their way home from school at the start of the autumn term. Many schools in England return from the summer break this week, and as is the case each year the risk of an accident becomes significantly greater as the school run brings with it a 20 per cent growth in rush hour traffic. While much has been said about watching out for youngsters on their way to school, the IAM has warned that a greater risk comes on the way home from school – where under 16’s are more likely to be distracted by playing with their friends, listening to music or interacting on social media on their phones.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S heading for Paris Motor Show

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S teased for Paris The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV may not be perfect, but it offers something no other car maker is able to offer at the moment – a tax-efficient plug-in hybrid SUV/Crossover for the same money as a conventionally-powered car. And it looks like Mitsubishi are planning to make the Outlander PHEV even more appealing. We have the first photos of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S – which is heading for a debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show – and as far as we can tell this is an upmarket Outlander PHEV with cosmetic tweaks and more toys.

Prices from £13,995 for new 2014 Ford Focus

Ford has announced it will freeze prizes for the entry-level version of its new 2014 Focus family hatchback at £13,995 when the car goes on sale later this year. On top of that, the Blue Oval has also reduced the price of the top two Titanium and Titanium X trim levels by £100 each owing to increased customer demand for “technology and luxury”. On Bing: see pictures of the 2014 Ford Focus Find out how much a used Ford Focus costs on Auto Trader Above the entry-level Studio model sit the £16,795 Style, £18,295 Zetec and £20,045 Zetec S variants, priced at £395, £895 and £400 more than the models they will replace respectively.

Ford Focus (2015) to be priced from £13,995

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 02 September 2014 06:00 Ford has frozen the starter price on its Focus mainstay for the new 2015 model year facelift. The news means that the Focus 1.6 Studio five-door hatch will cost from £13,995. And the Blue Oval pledges it’s not just an entry-level pricing gimmick; well equipped Titanium and Titanium X models have actually dropped on the new facelifted Focus, costing £100 less.

Google driverless car will let you speed

Driverless cars are so clever, aren’t they? The potential to whisk us along in total comfort and relaxation while a silicon chip takes care of the driving may sound like bliss to some. However, despite recent news that self-driving cars will be legally allowed on our roads as early as next year, they might not be as clean cut and infallible as you might think.

Value-Added New Focus Keeps Asking Price In Check

WITH the launch of Ford’s new Focus just around the corner, the Blue Oval firm has announced that prices will start from £13,995 - the same as today’s Focus, with top Titanium and Titanium X versions costing £100 less than the outgoing equivalents. The new Focus range retains a six-series line-up of Studio (from £13,995), Style (£16,795), Zetec (£18,295), Zetec S (£20,045), Titanium (£19,795) and Titanium X (£21,795). According to Ford, the new Focus builds on its reputation for technology, which since 2011 has featured automated parallel parking, Active City Stop low-speed collision avoidance, Traffic Sign Recognition to monitor and record road signs and Blind Spot Information System, as optional equipment.

New Land Rover Discovery Sport leaks ahead of tomorrow’s debut

First photo of the new Land Rover Discovery Sport The new Land Rover Discovery Sport - the start of a new line of Discovery models that will replace both the current Discovery and Freelander – is due to be revealed tomorrow. But it’s here already. Autoblg.it has jumped the gun and publsihed photos of the new Discover Sport ahead of tomorrow’s reveal, and it looks better than the Discovery Vision Concept did.

British manufacturer Atalanta Motors to make come back

Ever heard of Atalanta Motors? We wouldn’t be surprised if you hadn’t as the British sports car manufacturer went out of business a long time ago. Owing to the outbreak of World War II, Atalanta Motors shut its doors back in 1939 after making only 21 cars.

Cycling Ace Continues To Impress As He Aims For Le Mans Start

OLYMPIC cyclist Chris Hoy remains on course to make his Le Mans racing debut, despite narrowly missing out on the points in the penultimate round of the 2014 British GT Championship. His Nissan GT Academy Team RJN GT-R finished the weekend’s British GT race at Brands Hatch in 11th place, although this was an improvement on a mid-grid 16th place starting position for the two-hour race. Sharing the car with 2011 Nissan GT Academy winner Jann Mardenborough, Hoy started first and battled to 11th place before handing the car over to the GP3 Series and Le Mans racer for the race to the flag.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S at 2014 Paris motor show

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 02 September 2014 13:42 This is the first - somewhat restricted - look at the new 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S, due to be unveiled at this autumn’s Paris motor show. It’s a smarter adaptation of the existing Outlander plug-in hybrid road car. Mitsubishi describes it thus: ‘The Outlander PHEV Concept-S is a concept model MMC proposes as a special package of the Outlander PHEV production model that has a refined interior and exterior design that magnifies the Outlander PHEV’s unique driving experience.’ Not a huge amount to go on then.

The F1 drivers and teams soaked in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has reached fever pitch - your Facebook feed is probably as inundated as the ice-cold victims - but allow us to serve up a selection of the best drenchings from the world of Formula 1. We’ve gathered together some of the best Ice Bucket Challenges from the pitlane, featuring such luminaries as Lewis Hamilton, the Red Bull team and even the BBC F1 commentary squad. It makes for pretty compelling viewing: and if anyone can afford to be generous with their donations it’s the mega-money world of top-flight motorsport.

Ford Focus Facelift price and spec – costs from £13,995

The new Ford Focus will be in dealers in November 2014 The facelift for the Ford Focus was revealed back in February, but only now are Ford getting their act together with prices and specifications, and the new Focus won’t be in Ford’s UK showrooms until November. Key changes for the new Focus include the new family grill (well, the ‘Aston’ family grill), some tweaks to the lights and alloys and a less cluttered, more upmarket interior, new engines and chassis changes. Ford has retained the same model line-up for the new Focus – and the same starting price – with the Focus Studio ((from £13,995), Style (£16,795), Zetec (£18,295), Zetec S (£20,045), Titanium (£19,795) and Titanium X (£21,795) which means the starting price stays the same and the top-end Titanium models drop by £100.

Jury selects South Korean team as winners of Michelin Challenge Design 2015

Michelin has today announced the top 15 projects in its global 2015 Michelin Challenge Design competition. The Volkswagen Viento project by the South Korean team of Youngjai Jun and Gunyoung Yoon was judged to be the best, and awarded first place by a jury of the world's top automotive designers. The French trio of Aurelien Deleuze, Pierre-Hugues Vallin and Robinson Mancaux we given the runners-up spot with their project, Silent Interactive Climber, while Cristian Polanco of Guatemala came third with his work, the Bugatti Liriom.

Big Cats Out In Force At Goodwood Revival

JAGUAR will have a major presence at the sell-out 2014 Goodwood Revival, with the Lightweight E-type making its European debut at the event, while the firm’s new F-Type Project 7 will be on show in the Earls Court Motor Show-themed exhibition. The 60th anniversary of the legendary D-type will be marked in style at Goodwood. On Saturday 12 September, the Lavant Cup race will be dedicated to the D-type with more than 20 examples of this legendary competition car competing in the first-ever motor race devoted entirely to the D-type.

Aston Martin appoints Nissan's Andy Palmer as new CEO

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 02 September 2014 09:14 Nissan product chief Andy Palmer, 51, has been appointed chief executive office of Aston Martin. A corporate spokeswoman at Aston Martin confirmed the news to CAR magazine ahead of an official announcement at 10.00am today. 'We are delighted he's joining us,' she said.

Aston Martin make Nissan’s Andy Palmer their new CEO

Andy Palmer (pictured) is taking the reins at Aston Martin Lagonda Aston Martin has effectively been without a boss since Ulrich Bez stepped down from the role last year, but that changes with the announcement that Andrew Palmer – until now, Chief Planning Officer of Nissan – is to step in to the role. There’s no specific start date for Andy Palmer at Aston, but Nissan has announced that Philippe Klein will take up Palmer’s role at Nissan on 15 September, so it shouldn’t be long before Palmer holds the reins at Aston Martin. But what exactly has persuaded Andy Palmer to jump from a big corporate behemoth like Nissan to a struggling luxury car maker with owners who either want to tug the operating strings (the Kuwaitis) or are looking for a quick return (Investindustrial)?

Saab (NEVS) loses right to use Saab name – NEVS gets creditor protection

Saab (NEVS) loses right to use Saab name – NEVS gets creditor protection Just a few weeks ago we reported that Saab and its new owner National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS) were once again up against it with an unpaid supplier filing for bankruptcy. Since the, Saab has been thrown a lifeline by the Swedish courts, and a big kick in the teeth by Saab AB. NEVS right to use the Saab name (although not the Griffin logo) was granted by the owners – the defence firm Saab AB – but in light of NEVS financial predicament that right has been withdrawn.

Goodwood To Stage 73rd Members' Meeting In March 2015

THE GOODWOOD Road Racing Club (GRRC) has announced that the 73rd Members' Meeting will be held on the weekend of March 21-22, 2015 at Goodwood Motor Circuit. The Members' Meeting was revived this year for Members of the GRRC to continue the tradition of the 71 club motor sport events held at Goodwood from 1948-66, and played host to a weekend of dramatic motor racing. Star names including grand prix winner Jochen Mass, Le Mans 24 hours victors Emanuele Pirro and Jackie Oliver and current professionals Darren Turner and Andy Priaulx contested this year's event.