Blog on 2040Parts

KATIE PRICE SUFFERS BAG SNATCH

KATIE PRICE has hit out at the "pure scum" who smashed a window of her car and stole her designer handbag. The model and businesswoman posted a picture on Twitter showing a broken window and glass lying on the car seat. Price said the Louis Vuitton bag contained "valuables".

Hyundai Intrado concept (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 24 February 2014 13:01 This is the Hyundai Intrado concept, destined for the 2014 Geneva motor show. It’s a hydrogen-powered crossover penned by Peter Schreyer, the head of Hyundai’s design team, CEO of sister-brand Kia, and with a stint at Audi on his CV to boot. The Intrado is designed to be as lightweight as possible, hinting at what Hyundai sees as the future of family cars.

Ford Focus facelift (2014) first official pictures

By Damion Smy First Official Pictures 23 February 2014 23:00 Watch out VW Golf: this is the new Ford Focus that’s been unveiled by Ford ahead of the 2014 Geneva motor show. Gone is the bluff, snouty front end of the current car and in its place are sleeker, narrower front and rear lights, a new bonnet, bumpers and a new grille. Yet it lacks the awkward, guppy-like stance of the Fiesta, which was given its new Aston Martin-esque grille in late 2012, and is a much more sophisticated looking car.

Top Gear Tonight: Alfa 8C Disco Volante, Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6, Caterhams & SAIRPC Jack Whitehall

Richard Hammond drives the Mercedes G 63 AMG 6×6 on tonight’s Top Gear Believe it or not, tonight’s episode of Top Gear – episode 3 of series 21 – see us already more than half way through the new series. So far we’ve had a bit of a poor opening episode, a cracking second episode with the McLaren P1 and Alfa 4C and a so-so third in the series with the seemingly fragile Zenvo ST1 and a road trip to the Ukraine in small hatches. But tonight’s  episode looks very promising with a bonkers SUV from Mercedes, a custom-built Alfa from Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera and a pair of Caterhams – one from each end of the Caterham range.

2014 Ford Focus facelift revealed complete with ‘Aston Martin’ grill

2014 Ford Focus facelift (pictured) is heading for Geneva It doesn’t seem five minutes since the latest Ford Focus arrived, but it’s facelift time already for the Focus and that can only mean one thing – an Aston Marin grill. Just as it has with all its new cars in the last year or two, Ford has bolted a new front end on the 2014 Focus with a new bumper, new lights and a grill that started life on an Aston Martin. The rest of the changes look to be minimal, with small changes to the rear lights and alloys about all the exterior has to offer.

Mazda Hazumi Geneva concept car hints at next 2 supermini

Mazda Mazda has issued this solitary teaser image of the new Hazumi concept car, which will be unveiled fully at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. The Mazda Hazumi will give plenty of clues about the next generation Mazda 2 supermini, bound for showrooms in 2015. It's plain to see from this shadowy teaser photo that the next Mazda 2 will gain plenty of design inspiration from the latest family look as seen on the Mazda 3 rival for VW's Golf.

Volvo teases new Concept ES ahead of 2014 Geneva Motor Show

Volvo Volvo has released these mysterious teaser shots of its new Concept ES show car ahead of the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Although largely covered in a dustsheet - annoyingly - we can still see the first details of the new car, which has the silhouette of a long shooting brake. It's also the first confirmation of the name of the car: Concept ES harks back to the 480 ES of the late 1980s, which gave Volvo a distinctive coupe with pop-up headlamps and an unusual rear end (see below).

Hyundai PassoCorto coming to Geneva

Hot on the tailpipes of the Kia GT4 Stinger's debut in Detroit comes word of an even racier-looking two-seater from parent company Hyundai – the PassoCorto. Built by and for Gen Y car enthusiasts, the PassoCorto was styled by 16 students in the Master's program of transportation design at the Istituto Europeo Design (IED) in Turin. The students were tasked by Hyundai Design Center Europe with making “…the car that would be on top of their list for buying and driving.” We don't know any Gen Ys who could fork over close to $60,000 for a car, the cost of the similarly-sized Alfa 4C, but we know plenty who would like to have one.

VW Golf GTE: the GTI goes hybrid for Geneva Motor Show 2014

Volkswagen is pitching its brand new plug-in hybrid Golf as a hot hatch. Called the Golf GTE, it will sit in the range alongside the latest petrol-powered GTI and diesel-powered GTD models. Expect a nostalgic tear or two in eyes of older performance Vauxhall fans.

One Lap of the Web: Every girl's crazy for a sharp-dressed Citro

-- Fiat industrialist Gianni Agnelli was the man who put postwar Italy on inexpensive wheels, and himself in expensive clothes -- and became an icon in the process. Well, he was Italian. No surprise there -- some stereotypes are true for a reason.

Swedish raincoat company teases Volvo Concept Estate

Volvo has brought the station wagon back to America; one small slice of the automotive continuum has been set to right. But the new V60 is a rather slinky, sporty thing, far removed from the box-plus-box-equals-box machines of the wagon's Stateside heyday. If this glimpse of the Swedish brand's new Concept Estate is any indication, do not expect a reversion to angularity when the next generation of cars arrives.

VW Golf GTE (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 21 February 2014 10:40 This is the VW Golf GTE. As the name suggests, the idea is to mix GTI and e-Golf: teaming GTI levels of performance with e-motor hybrid propulsion. You’ll be able to snap one up from your regular VW dealer from autumn 2014, for around £28,000.

Multi-touch UI reduces touchscreen interaction to simple swipes [w/video]

Touchscreens have become widespread standard features in many cars over the last few years, consolidating the modern car's many functions into one interface. But despite their advantages there's the big downside of driver distraction, something user interface designer Matthaeus Krenn believes he has solved with his UI. Unlike most other touchscreens, Krenn's interface isn't organized into menus and small, hard-to-hit buttons, but instead makes use of multi-touch gestures, reducing the accuracy and attention needed to operate key functions.

Town/country fuel price gap closes

THE PETROL PUMP postcode lottery, meaning rural drivers lose out to town motorists on price, appears to be coming to an end. The gap between prices in country districts compared with urban areas has closed from around 5p a litre to as low as 2p, according to the AA. This dip in rural prices has contributed to a general nationwide fall in the cost of petrol, which now averages 129.63p a litre compared with 130.46p in mid-January.

Concept Car of the Week: Mazda Ibuki (2003)

With the Ibuki, Mazda designers synthesized the most successful of the first generation MX-5's iconic elements and evolved their forms to make them even more memorable and simple. To do so, they used a strong geometric theme throughout the car inside and out: LED headlamps; front air intake; tail lamps; rear view mirrors; release handles and interior details down to the pedals – every shape follow the same oval theme. Zooming out, the silhouette – as well as the top view – is also oval, making the Ibuki look more like a toy than a car, which is a real bonus for a small roadster.

Aston Martin reveals Vantage N430 and Carbon editions before Geneva

Stop us if you've heard this one before: Aston Martin is bringing two special editions to the Geneva motor show next month. Unfortunately neither of them is coming to the United States, but since they're Aston Martins, we figured you'd still want to be in the know. The V8 Vantage N430 builds on the N420 special edition from 2010.

Jeep Grand Cherokee, Commander 4WD problems unrelated to N23 recall, Chrysler says

A sizable segment of the Jeep-buying public doesn't do much off-roading, spending much more time on the commute than on the trail. If their vehicle's 4WD system didn't work, it would take a few months and a snowstorm of two for them to notice. If their low-range 4WD died, they'd probably never know it.

New fuel marker to prevent fraud

A NEW RED DYE fuel marker is being introduced by the British and Irish governments to tackle fraud. The illegal use of cheaper fuel in the UK means criminals avoid paying tax and can sell it on at a lower rate than normal fuel from a petrol station. The new marker will make it harder for criminals to disguise fuel by removing the red dye.

Mazda Hazumi Concept previews new Mazda2 – teased for Geneva Motor Show

The Mazda Hazumi Concept (pictured) teased ahead of Geneva Mazda are gearing up for the Geneva Motor Show next week with the first teaser image of the Mazda Hazumi Concept. The Hazumi Concept – which apparently means ‘Spring up’ or ‘bound’ (as in ‘bound around’ not ‘bound up’) – is the firts clear view of the next generation Mazda 2 featuring the latest iteration of Mazda’s Kodo design language and clearly takes design cues from the new Mazda3. We’ll get more details on the Hazumi/new Mazda2 as Geneva approaches, but we’re expecting it to spawn a production version of the next generation Mazda 2 that will go on sale before the end of 2014.

Europe trailing on ESP safety

NOT ENOUGH new cars in Europe are being specified with an electronic stability programme (ESP) that is proved to be most important safety system in prevent collisions. Research by Frost and Sullivan has found Europe is lagging behind North America, where there is almost 100% success with fitting news cars with ESP. Despite ESP being included in the European New Car Assessment Programme since 2011, the study shows there has been only a minimal increase in the number of cars sold that have ESP.

Car Design News website maintenance

Every now and then we have to do a little back room maintenance on the good ship Car Design News and today is one of those days. So if you plan on visiting us later today from around 12am (GMT) and can't access what you're looking for, don't panic, the downtime should only take an hour as our servers are receiving an upgrade. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Audi Sketches Out Plans For Its New Tt

WITH the launch of its new model just around the corner, Audi has released design sketches as a teaser for its forthcoming third generation TT. The sports coupe has proven to be a popular model for the German firm, and next month will see the unveiling of the latest version at the influential Geneva Motor Show. Although technical details are currently scarce, it’s clear to see that the car’s design is more of an evolutionary step from the current model.

Subaru VIZIV 2 Concept teased for Geneva Motor Show

First tease for the Subaru VIZIV 2 Concept The Subaru VIZIV 2 Concept teased for a Geneva Motor Show debut is yet another concept from Subaru that points to a new crossover – at some point. Subaru kicked of the VIZIV Concept (VIZIV apparently stands for ‘Vision for Innovation’) path at last year’s Geneva Motor Show with the first VIZVIZ concept which, said Subaru, represented the future design and vision for technical innovation. Subaru aren’t saying anything much about VIZIV 2 ahead of Geneva, but the original VIZIV Concept came with a four-pot 2.0 litre boxer engine helped along by a pair of electric motors powering the back wheels and another electric motor providing power for the front wheels.

Porsche 911 GT3 Fires: Porsche says don’t drive your 911 GT3

Porsche advises owners not to drive their 911 GT3 until the cause of recent fires is discovered. It’s almost commonplace for Ferraris and Lamborghinis to catch fire from time to time. But not Porsche.

Peugeot Expands 308 Range With Load-Lugging SW

HOT on the heels of the arrival of its 308 family hatchback, Peugeot has unveiled its new 308 wagon. The 308 SW will get its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, with cars hitting the showrooms this summer. Offering the same minimalist driving environment as the hatch, complete with a large colour touchscreen for access to the car’s main features, the SW also includes a wide range of fuel-efficient petrol and diesel engines.

The best 14-plate new car deals

If you're in the market for a new car you'll probably know that the new 14-plate registration numbers come into effect on 1 March. The plate-change is likely to result in an increase in sales, and if you're planning to buy a new car soon it's essential that you head to the showroom or online broker site as well prepared as possible. To make the process easier we've lined up 10 of the best new cars on sale, and found the best deals, discounts and finance offers available.

Fiat to launch Panda Cross off-roader at Geneva

Fiat The Fiat Panda Cross will make its public debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next month. Based on the Fiat Panda 4x4, the Cross is pumped up with bigger tyres, extra body cladding, raised suspension and myriad technologies to help the little off-roader keep moving when the going gets tough. New off-road technology for the 2014 Fiat Panda Cross As standard, the Fiat Panda Cross comes with a ‘torque-on-demand’ transmission that uses the car’s electronic locking differential (ELD) and advanced electronic stability control (ESC) to send torque to the appropriate axle when slip is detected.

Land Rover announces black and silver Defender for Geneva

2014 Land Rover Defender Black Pack The new Black Pack on the Land Rover Defender paints the roof, grille and headlight surrounds, wheel arches, Defender badge and interior facia in the manufacturer’s Santorini black finish. Privacy glass (a first for the Defender) is included in the pack, and ebony Alston headlining – as seen on the latest Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models – is added to the interior. Buyers will get a choice of two wheel variations in, you guessed it, black.

2015 Audi TT teased in design sketches

2015 Audi TT teased in design sketches The Audi TT is about to move in to its third iteration as it continues its progress from hairdresser’s car to mini R8, with a reveal of the 2015 Audi TT at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Ahead of that reveal opf the new TT, Audi has released two design sketches (above) to tease the changes it’s wrought to the TT and whet appetites for the proper reveal. The official design sketches show a TT that moves in the direction of the R8 in design,m with new grill, new headlights, sharper lines and the four rings badge moved up on to the bonnet.

Audi TT (2014) first official sketches

By Ollie Kew (images by Auto Bild/Larson) First Official Pictures 20 February 2014 11:00 Official Audi design sketches revealed today show the exterior styling of the new TT coupe. Festooned with cues from the original 1998 TT – something of a modern classic – the new car marries typical Audi cues with sharper, more aggressive details. It looks awfully close to CAR’s artist’s impression of the new TT in our gallery (see right).