Blog on 2040Parts

Toyota adds i-Road to urban mobility trials

TOYOTA has added its futuristic i-Road concept to its “Ha:mo” urban transport trials. It is the latest vehicle to be added to the rapidly expanding scheme, which is being held at the so-called Toyota City; Toyota’s huge presence in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture. The Ha:mo (Harmonious Mobility network) trials are an attempt to develop a sophisticated, integrated transport system for cities, making use of electric vehicles wherever possible but with the key emphasis on encouraging travellers to use the ‘most appropriate’ means of transport at all times.

McLaren introduces 12C GT Sprint

McLaren confirmed on Monday that the 12C GT Sprint track-focused racer will cost about $316,000, converted from British pounds. That doesn't include taxes and destination. The GT Sprint was built by the McLaren GT racing arm of McLaren Automotive, and retains much of the 12C road car.

One Lap of the Web: Allante, World's wildest chases, and more of Bring a Trailer's Euro trip

Hemmings has this look back at the wonderful Cadillac Allante and its hilarious Transatlantic assembly process. Yesterday, Jalopnik posted a video of a terrifying motorcycle/car chase that left multiple people injured. Today, the guy who allegedly started it all has been arrested.

New Kia Carens gets new range-topper – the Carens 3 Sat Nav

New Kia Carens gets new range-topper – the Carens 3 Sat Nav But it seems Kia’s customers are shouting out for something that offers more standard equipment than the regular, not very inventive, trim levels of 1, 2 and 3, so Kia has decided to add a fourth option – the Kia Carens 3 Sat Nav to the range. The Carens 3 already comes with a decent enough spec – including panoramic roof, 17″ alloys, leather, heated seats, second row sun blinds and colour reversing camera – but the 3 Sat Nav adds a 7″ touchscreen SatNav and new audio system with 8-channel amp and sub woofer offering a better sound experience for all occupants. The Carens 3 Sat Nav is only available with Kia’s 134bhp 1.7 litre CRDI with 6-speed manual ‘box and costs from £24,845.

2015 Cadillac Escalade interior revealed

Cadillac teased the new Escalade last week, but today's shot is an uncamouflaged look at the interior, giving us a good idea of what the new luxo-barge will look like from the driver's seat. Caddy says the new interior combines handcrafted elements with new technology, using the company's cut-and-sew technique. The central part of the instrument cluster looks similar to other current Cadillacs with the CUE system and swipe-touch buttons.

Nissan 370Z Nismo vs Wingsuit – Nissan try to be Top Gear

Nissan 370Z Nismo Vs Wingsuit That was five years ago, so Nissan obviously feel enough time has passed to plagiarise Top Gear’s stunt without too much criticism, so they’ve decided to pit a man in a wingsuit – who isn’t Red Devils – against a man in a car that isn’t a Porsche. So we have Peter Pyzera - Germany’s 2012 Nissan GT Academy Champion – in a 370Z Nismo blatting his way down Switzerland’s Susten Pas as it falls 4,501 feet and BASE jumper Dave Barlia in a wingsuit doing the same. Peter Pyzera said after the stunt: That was absolutely amazing, I could see Dave up above me and I just had to concentrate and get in the zone to beat him down.

Cautious welcome for fuel duty freeze

MOTORING groups have given a cautious welcome to Chancellor George Osborne's announcement of a freeze on fuel duty until May 2015. Both the AA and the RAC pointed out that Mr Osborne was already getting big sums from motorists in taxation. Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "Transport is the single biggest area of household expenditure bar none and our own research shows that 800,000 of the poorest households are in transport poverty, spending a quarter or more of their income on running a car.

December debut for Bentley GT3 racer

THE CONTINENTAL GT3 racing car will make its competitive debut at December’s Gulf 12 Hours race in Abu Dhabi, it has been confirmed. The 600bhp, twin-turbo V8 racer is the first Bentley model to hit the race track since 2003, when the Crewe-based outfit won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This time Bentley will, officially at least, only use the two-part endurance race as a test to gauge the performance of the Continental GT3 ahead of a full entry into the 2014 FIA Blancpain GT3 racing championship.

When car design meets Art Nouveau

Gray Design has revealed a new concept car called the Nouvair, inspired by the Art Nouveau design movement. The Nouvair, a retro-looking coupé complete with a long hood and trailing rear end, takes inspiration from the techniques and flowing lines favored by one of the pioneers of the movement, Czech painter and decorative artist Alphonse Mucha. Despite the release of five pictures, Gray Design didn't reveal any technical details, just confirmation of its name and its inspiration.

2013 models hit their expiration date

Fall is upon us, and as we all know, autumn marks the beginning of new-car season. Brand-spanking new models get the opportunity to make their debut in the automotive world, while others are lucky enough to continue their journey into the next generation. But other vehicles are hitting the end of the assembly line.

Upgrades create new flagship Kia Carens

THE RANGE-TOPPING Kia Carens has been upgraded with satellite navigation and a better stereo following customer demand. The Carens 3 is the basis for the new technology to create the Carens 3 Sat Nav, which uses a seven-inch touch-screen on the centre console. There will now be seven higher-quality speakers spread throughout the cabin, too.

More than four million UK drivers aged 70 or over

The number of older people with driving licences has exceeded the four million mark for the first time, reveals a report by the RAC Foundation. Data shows that there are a record 4,018,900 men and women aged 70 or over who hold a valid full British licence, with the motoring research charity predicting that number is set to rise even further. IAM: more old drivers than ever not bad news It isn’t older drivers we should fear – it’s the young This prediction is backed by the government, which has said that of the UK citizens alive today, around 10 million will reach their 100th birthday.

Aston Martin ditches Cygnet city car

CITY SLICKERS will no longer be able to cut a dash in a diminutive Aston Martin, following the company's decision to axe the controversial Cygnet from its range. The tiny Cygnet, which takes its name from a young swan, was an adaptation of the Toyota iQ, refitted with the finest luxury materials and priced at over £30,000. Its low CO2 output is rumoured to have been the main reason for the model’s presence in the range, since Aston Martin could in that way lower the company’s average CO2 output across the range in line with European emissions rules.

Mustang named favourite classic

THE FORD MUSTANG has been voted Europe’s most wanted classic car with 37% of those polled saying they would love to have the American sports car in their garage. "Ford Mustang is more than a car, it’s the freedom of the open road and the spirit of performance driving," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. "Mustang has been a fundamental part of global automotive culture for almost half a century and is one of the world’s most recognisable vehicles." Launched in 1964, Mustang became an instant sensation and inspired millions of people.

Is this the new Lexus RC F Coupe?

Is this the new Lexus RC F Coupe? These could be Photoshops based on the Lexus LF-CC – which previewed the new IS – but they do have the feel of being real, and if they are then Lexus is delivering up an RC Coupe that’s pretty faithful to the LF-CC Concept and which promises to be a real competitor for the BMW M3. Under the bonnet of the RC F is expected to be a 5.0 litre V8 delivering around 455bhp and 400lb/ft of torque, complete with cylinder deactivation for more frugal running when you’re not wringing the neck of the V8, and mated to an eight-speed auto ‘box with flappy paddles and three driving modes.

New 2014 MINI – Details revealed ahead of debut in November

New 2014 MINI – Details revealed ahead of debut in November As well as new engines, the new MINI will get new transmissions too with the manual option getting a gear sensor to match engine speed when changing gear and the auto ‘box coming with stop-start and input from the SatNav to make sure the car’s in the right gear for the road and terrain. MINI has also updated the chassis with adaptive dampers on offer with two settings – Sport and Comfort – so the MINI can be set up for a blast or a cruise at the flick of a switch. There’s still multi-link suspension at the back, although it’s been heavily reworked, with a wider track all round, variable resistance electric power steering and active rotational damping to keep torque steer in check.

CAR scoop: GM's $13 billion gamble (2013)

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 30 September 2013 09:45 GM Europe has racked up enormous losses every year since 1999; in 2012 it bled $1.8 billion while GM North America earned $6.9 billion before tax. Yet the Detroit mothership continues to pump billions into its European division, like a deluded gambler convinced his luck will change. Max Warburton, automotive analyst at Wall Street researcher, Sanford C.

80mph limit plans 'to be revisited'

SHELVED PLANS to raise the motorway speed limit to 80mph will need to be revisited, a transport minister said as he declined to say whether he ever broke the current law to drive at that speed. Stephen Hammond said ministers were split on the move - which was unveiled with a fanfare by Philip Hammond in 2011 but then axed from the agenda by successors as transport secretary. Polling suggests a 10mph increase in the maximum allowed on the network would be extremely popular among motorists - and the transport minister recognised "a lot" already drove at the higher speed.

New finance deals for Mercedes

MERCEDES has introduced new finance offers on parts of the A-Class, C-Class and E-Class ranges. The A-Class benefits from three years’ free servicing, as well as low interest PCP finance packages at a rate of 5.5%. The deal means that an A180 SE is available for £249 per month over three years with a deposit of £2,743.

Women 'prefer men in eco-friendly cars'

GIRLS go for men with "green" cars rather than those with gas-guzzlers, according to a survey. More than half of women reckon drivers of expensive sports cars are arrogant, the poll from Motors.co.uk found. But many women, and men too, found drivers of eco-friendly cars such as the Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius to be conscientious, intelligent and safe motorists.

Essex man builds his own road-legal F1 car

OK, first things first – this isn't really an F1 car. In fact, aside from the Red Bull livery, it shares very little in common with a real F1 car. But we couldn't help but take a closer look.

Road accident injuries highlighted

THE NUMBER of 20 to 24-year-olds injured in road accidents is nearly twice as high as the national adult average, according to Government statistics. As many as 6.7% of 20 to 24-year-olds said they had been injured in a road accident in the period 2010 to 2012 compared with the all-adult (16 and over) average of 3.8%. The next-worst casualty age range was 25 29-year-olds, of whom 5.8% suffered a road accident injury in 2010-12, while the figure for 30 to 39-year-olds was 5.0%.

Aston Martin drops Cygnet city car

Autocar is reporting that the diminutive Aston Martin Cygnet has been dropped from the company’s portfolio. The automaker, now owned by Prodrive and private equity firm Invenstindustrial, will focus on its “core product range,” also known as “good cars.” Autocar posits that the justification for the Cygnet was to continue producing V8 and V12 cars, while keeping its average CO2 emissions down. The Cygnet shared bones with the Toyota iQ city car and used a 97-hp, 1.3-liter engine and got 58.9 mpg using the U.S.

Koenigsegg One:1 – 1400 hp & 280mph

Koenigsegg One:1 (pictured) 1400 hp & 280mph In a wide ranging interview – in which Bloomberg compare Christian to a benevolent Bond villain – Christian reveals that plans for the One: 1 have moved on in the last year, and what he has in store is impressive indeed. The Koenigsegg One:1 will come with 1,400 horses – more than we imagined – and it will indeed boast one hp for every one kilogram. But that weight is a weight including all fluids and even the driver.

Ewes Bulletin

CENTRAL LONDON has hit by an unusual traffic jam - accompanied not by the beeping of horns, but the bleating of sheep. Crowds of passers-by flocked to see the unusual spectacle as 20 Suffolk and Texel sheep were herded across London Bridge. The woolly creatures took a trip over the Thames as the Lord Mayor of the City of London exercised his ancient right to drive them across.

Chevy introduces two Silverado SEMA concepts at Texas Fair

Chevy used last Friday's State Fair of Texas to introduce two buffed-up pickup trucks prepped for SEMA. The first, based on the Silverado Double Cab with the Z71 package, was for fighting fires; the other, a Crew Cab 4x4, is for top-secret Black Ops missions (??- ED.) Chevy This pickup carries equipment, water and fire extinguishers. According to Chevy, the Silverado Z71 Volunteer Firefighter concept honors the service of “first responders” while showing off the pickup's work credentials.

New MoT failure figures reveal surprises

BETWEEN January and August 2013 253,000 vehicles failed their first MoT, according to new data. 70 million records from the Vehicle Operation and Services Agency (VOSA) were examined to reveal the patterns of failure for cars receiving their first MoT, required three years from the date of first registration. However, while the best performers have pre-existing reputations for reliability, the bottom of the table reveals some surprises.

Job lot of 54 Hyundai Sonatas on eBay for £220k

What could you buy for £220,000? Perhaps a one-bedroom flat in Richmond-on-Thames? Maybe a pre-owned Rolls-Royce Phantom?

Frankfurt Motor Show 2013 – Trends and Overview

The bi-annual Frankfurt motor show is always an exhibition of Germanic industrial might – for better or worse – and 2013 was no exception. Despite news of flat-lining car sales across Europe, the show was one of the defiant rolling out of new models. The number of production cars and production previews of cars that would be appearing in (presumably quiet) showrooms soon was impressive.

Hyundai adds to SEMA lineup with EGR Yellowcake Night Racer

Hyundai is continuing its SEMA push ahead of the specialty show, which takes place Nov. 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, by introducing the Yellowcake EGR Night Racer Veloster Turbo. The name just rolls off the tongue.