Blog on 2040Parts

New York motor show 2014: CAR's A-Z guide

By the CAR online team Motor Shows 04 April 2014 09:30 BMW M4 Convertible: drop-top M4 is 60kg lighter than the old V8 M3 Convertible Discovery Vision concept: design study thought to preview new seven-seat Disco S63 AMG coupe: two-doors, two turbos, and one headache for Aston Martin and Bentley

McLaren 12C production ends – killed off by the new 650S

The McLaren 12C bites the dusts – killed off by the new 650S When the new McLaren 650S was revealed in February, we commented that we expected the McLaren 12C to quietly disappear. And it has. To start with McLaren simply halted production of the 12C to concentrate on building the new 650S, but now they say it won’t be restarted as the McLaren range ‘evolves’.

Infiniti: The Q50 Eau Rouge is still happening

Infiniti would like to remind you of two things: 1.) that its Q50 Eau Rouge is going to be built, yes, definitely, no really, trust us, and 2.) Sebastian Vettel is the "director of performance." We imagine the four-time F1 world champion might be too busy defending his title to sit in meetings discussing whether the "real" carbon-fiber trim should be lined with red or purple weaving. "Vettel's invaluable feedback will be engineered into the next stages of the prototype's extensive development program," said Infiniti. Hey, it worked for Senna.

Citroen DS 5LS R revealed as high-performance DS5 for China. Debuts at Beijing.

The Citroen DS 5LS R (pictured) heading for a Beijing debut The Citroen DS 5LS was revealed at the end of last year as Citroen’s biggest DS model to date, but as it’s aimed at China there’s little chance we’ll see it in the UK or Europe, where there’s no real market for a stretched DS5. And the same goes for the ‘Racing’ version revealed this morning – the Citroen DS 5LS R – which is heading for a debut at the Beijing Motor Show later this month. Under the bonnet of the DS 5LS R sits the 1.6 litre petrol turbo found in the Peugeot RCZ, where it gets 270bhp, but Citreon have managed to boost that to 300bhp – which should make putting the power down quite interesting.

Concept Car of the Week: Oldsmobile Golden Rocket (1956)

From 1949 to 1961, General Motors ran its own motor show. Called Motorama, the annual event was a showcase for concept cars which revealed prospective design and technology directions for all of GM's brands and for cars in general. Each year, one-off creations were designed and built for GM's multiple divisions, from Chevrolet all the way up to Cadillac.

McLaren MP4-12C gets the axe

Production of the McLaren 12C is dead. That's according to a letter sent by CEO Mike Flewitt to owners that read in part, “The final piece of news I wanted to share with you is regarding 12C production, which we have decided to cease in light of the success of 650S. The new car has been so well received since its unveiling at the Geneva motor show (we already have a six-month order bank), we will focus all our capacity at the McLaren Production Centre on 650S.” This represents a turnaround for the company that just a few days ago said the 650S would slot between the 12C and P1 in the lineup, and that both would continue.

2,000hp Trion Nemesis 'hypercar' unveiled

Apart from having possibly the coolest name of any current hypercar and looking like a Storm Trooper's wheels of choice, the Trion Nemesis is attracting attention for another reason – its 2,000hp engine. At double the level of power produced by a Bugatti Veyron, that ought to deliver some mind-bending performance. Please click on the image above to read more on the Trion Nemesis

BMW M4 Convertible revealed. Price from £60,730

The BMW M4 Convertible (pictured) revealed We reported last month that the new BMW M4 Convertible would debut at this year’s New York Auto Show, and here it is ahead of that debut complete with trick folding metal roof, 425bhp and a price tag that just nicks over the £60k line. A direct replacement for the old M3 Convertible, the M4 Convertible will cost you just over £4k more than the M4 Coupe, but for the extra money you get the same car but with infinite headroom – and a big weight penalty. The new 3-piece metal folding roof can be tucked away in a mere 20 seconds at the flick of a switch, with better noise insulation than the M3 Convertible had and more room in the boot when the roof is down too.

Beijing motor show 2014: CAR's A-Z guide

By the CAR online team Motor Shows 04 April 2014 10:00 China has become a critical market for carmakers to tap into, with huge sales potential and a thirst for European brands. Click the links below for CAR's stories of all of the new cars featured at the 2014 Beijing motor show. DS 5LS R: sports saloon concept geared at Chinese petrolheads New Juke-sized compact crossover, based on i20 Boxster GTS: faster, better-specced Boxster with 918 Spyder styling cues Cayman GTS: look out 911: hotter Cayman could be the best Porsche ever

Citroen DS 5LS R (2014) first official pictures

By Damion Smy First Official Pictures 04 April 2014 07:00 This hard-core saloon is the most powerful Citroen ever built. This is the Citroen DS 5LS R that will star at the Beijing motor show in a few weeks. The clunkily-named model is a C-segment saloon that’s based on the DS 5LS, which was unveiled in December 2013, but this R version is a race version in the vein of the DS3 Racing and DS4 Racing models.

New car sales soar to 10-year high

NEW CAR sales soared in March, with the new 14 number plate helping registrations reach their highest monthly total for 10 years. A total of 464,824 new cars were registered last month - a rise of 17.7% on the March 2013 figure and the best since 466,954 were registered in March 2004, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The March 2014 and March 2004 figures represent the best two months for new sales since 1999 when the motor industry abandoned the August once-a-year number plate change in favour of twice-a-year changes in March and September.

Smart parking needed to help drivers

SMART parking is needed to help relieve congestion in cities and help reduced stress levels for drivers to improve their health. This is the conclusion of a report into the difficulties facing urban drivers. Conducted by Dr Therese Cory, the report says parking has become one of the biggest frustrations for drivers in towns and cities.

Lexus targets BMW X3 with new crossover

LEXUS is set to join the mid-size crossover fray when it launches the NX at the Beijing Motor Show later this month. The move could be a massive one for Lexus as it tests the water in what has become one of the fastest-growing and fiercest-fought market sectors of them all. This teaser shot is all that Lexus is willing to show of the new car before then, but the headlight shape is clearly inspired by the formidable LFA hypercar.

Jaguar explains 'The Art of Villainy'

British actor Tom Hiddleston reprised his role as baddie of note in the latest Jaguar F-Type coupe #GoodToBeBad ad campaign. This one is called “The Art of Villainy.” The 2 minute, 30-second clip debuted on YouTube on Tuesday. The campaign poses that Brits always make the best villains due to their accent, elocution and style.

Chevy Camaro Z/28 vs. Porsche 911 GT3: Track day shootout

We're in a Barber Motorsports Park garage in Birmingham, Ala., on a brisk morning with pro race-car driver Andy Pilgrim -- along with the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 and Porsche 911 GT3, the latest, road course-focused street cars for 2014. Cadillac Racing pays Pilgrim to pilot a CTS-V coupe in the Pirelli World Challenge series, but today he is our hired gun to give us top-level feedback around the challenging 2.38-mile circuit. Pilgrim's r

Hennessy ad features record-breaker Sir Malcolm Campbell

An unusual thing happened today. We didn't skip the preroll ad on a YouTube video as soon as we were able. In fact, we watched the whole thing, then clicked through and watched it again.

BMW 9 Series Concept heading for Beijing Motor Show debut?

a BMW 9 Series Concept debut at beijing? We’ve only just had confirmation that a new BMW 7 Series SUV is on the way as BMW continues to push at both ends of their range, with the X7 aimed at the new Range Rover and Mercedes GL. Now it seems BMW are also looking to build a car that can take on the very high-end Mercedes S Class – especially the S Class Maybach when that arrives – and maybe scoop up a few sales from lower-end Rolls Royce and Bentley buyers.

One Lap of the Web: Happy (belated) birthday, Sir Jack Brabham

-- At the upcoming World's Greatest Sports Coupes exhibit, which opens April 10, the Petersen asked some well-known celebrities to pick their finest "two-seat, fixed-roof high performance car of all time," many of which they happen to own. Personally, we would have gone with the 1979 Ford Mustang, the Toyota Hilux Surf SSR Limited, or the Deathmobile from "Animal House." -- Quick, name a Japanese car that was designed by Italians. OK, the Isuzu Piazza.

The 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R

Turns out the Trapp Family Singers aren't the only Austrian product worth hearing. Kronreif und Trunkenpolz, Mattighofen (KTM), an 80-year-old motorcycle manufacturer based two hours east of Munich is enjoying newfound influence and recently launched its biggest, baddest-sounding machine yet: the 1290 Super Duke R. Light and lithe, the latest Super Duke features a narrow 1301cc DOHC 75-degree V-twin with amazing bandwidth.

2015 Volkswagen Golf R ice drive

What is it? Where is it may be the better question. Arvidsjaur (pronounce it “our-vids-yower”), Sweden, has a name that's easier to pronounce when your jaw is just a little bit numb from the cold.

Ed Justice Jr.'s perfect car-guy childhood led him here

Ed Justice Jr. had a famous dad named Ed Sr. and two famous uncles, Zeke and Gus: the siblings who made up the Justice Brothers lubricant company.

Tesla is ridiculously successful, so far

Several Tesla Model S sedans catch fire, company co-founder Elon Musk blames the media, Tesla stock prices rise. Tesla cars are the subject of a recall, Musk blames the word “recall,” Tesla stock soars. Tesla posts what it calls profits but what everyone else views as losses, stock price shoots to $250 a share.

Motor industry backs EU membership

MOTOR MANUFACTURERS have given strong backing for the UK staying in the European Union, citing benefits including business links and free movement of labour. A survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that 92% of automotive firms believed that staying in the EU would be best for their business, although most wanted to see reforms. The SMMT said its study showed how EU membership benefited the industry, such as access to a single market and funding for research and development.

The best new-car discounts and deals: April's biggest savings

New car sales are continuing to boom with latest figures showing 24 consecutive months of growth. With the March 14 registration plate change traditionally proving popular at driving buyers into dealerships, there’s nothing to suggest that won’t continue. Car makers are certainly doing their bit as this list of healthy incentives for April 2014 demonstrates.

2015 Subaru Outback previewed ahead of New York auto show

Subaru plans to unveil the production version of the 2015 Subaru Outback at the New York auto show later this month, hot on the heels of the debut of the 2015 Subaru Legacy. The Outback is scheduled to go on sale at the end of 2014. The sixth-generation Subaru Outback will feature exterior styling cues similar to those of the 2015 Legacy.

Land Rover Discovery Vision concept (2014) first teaser of Disco’s future

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 03 April 2014 00:01 Meet the new Land Rover Discovery. Okay, stop squinting; this is merely a teaser of the ‘Discovery Vision’ concept car that Land Rover will unveil at the New York motor show later in April 2014. Imagine you’re a child sat on the middle seat of the second-row bench in the Discovery Vision concept.

Report Claims Pothole Repair Blackhole Is £12bn

FIGURES from the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) have revealed the extent of the nation’s pothole crisis, with a report claiming the "catch-up" cost of getting roads back into reasonable a condition has soared to £12 billion. The total is an increase on the £10.5 billion figure reported last year, and remains high despite more than two million potholes being filled in England and Wales over the last 12 months. This was despite a 20% decrease in the shortfall in annual road maintenance budgets reported by local authorities, with the shortfall reducing from an average of £6.2 million to £5.1 million per authority in England.

European Parliament: electric cars must make noise

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a European Commission proposal to decrease the maximum allowed noise for new cars, vans, trucks, buses and coaches, in an effort to reduce “vehicle noise nuisance” by 25%. At the same time, the EU has voted in favour of a proposal to force carmakers to fit electric and hybrid electric vehicles with a sound generating device, to improve low speed safety for pedestrians and the visually impaired. On Bing: see pictures of electric cars Find out how much a used electric car costs on Auto Trader The proposed changes, which are expected to become law, would see new car noise levels reduced by four decibels, commercial vehicle noise levels reduced by three decibels.

Quirky finance deal for anniversary Alfa Giulietta

CHECK this out for inflation: to celebrate 60 years since the launch of the original Giulietta, Alfa Romeo is offering a finance deposit contribution equivalent to the outright purchase price of the original car. The stunning 1954 Giulietta sold for £1,250, which is precisely what Alfa is offering buyers of the 2014 model if they take out a PCP finance deal and meet a few basic criteria. What’s more, a new £510 Lunar Pearl colour option will be thrown into the bargain for customers taking up the deal in the 60th anniversary celebration window.

First of five free Suzuki S-Crosses collected

SUZUKI has come over all charitable with the news that it has given away the first of its free S-Cross models that are up for grabs. Entrants to the competition had to nominate someone they knew to receive a free S-Cross car – and well-equipped models, too – with a brief explanation of why the nominee deserved it. The first to pick up their free new 14-plate crossover were a ‘very surprised’ Phillip Southward and wife Sue, who collected their SZ4-spec S-Cross at Suzuki’s RRG dealership in Stockport.