Blog on 2040Parts

RCA students redesign classic cars for Salon Privé

Eleven postgraduates from the Royal College of Art's Vehicle Design program have redesigned and modernized past Concours-winning cars for the ‘Concours of the Future' design exhibition at this year's Salon Privé in London. Concours of the Future, a first for the Salon Privé, will be showcased on 4 July before being judged the next day by a panel chaired by automotive designer and RCA visiting professor Peter Stevens. The judging panel is made up of Dale Harrow, head of the RCA Vehicle Design program and some of the biggest names in car design: Giles Taylor, director of design at Rolls-Royce; Peter Schreyer, chief design officer at Hyundai and Kia and Peter Horbury, vice president – design at Geely.

First Sight: BMW 4 Series

Within BMW, it was an ongoing discussion for two decades: what to call the coupé version of the 3 Series? With the new model pictured here, the advocates of change got it their way. The proliferation of models most likely tipped the scales – besides the 3 Series sedan, there is the Touring, the 'Gran Turismo' and the China-only long-wheelbase version.

One Lap of the Web: A Bentley reborn, goldRush shenanigans and squirrel-dodging in a BMW

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- At first glance, this 1953 Bentley R-Type Special Roadster looks like a typical old-school British drop-top.

Jet Age lands at Rodeo Drive Concours

Fins and aerodynamic stability -- the latter sometimes real, sometimes just for style -- dominated the 20th anniversary of the Rodeo Drive Concours in Beverly Hills Sunday. The era of magnificent tail fins was born from the sweet optimism of the 1950s, when “The Future” was just around the corner and we were all looking forward to piloting jet packs, being served by robots and living in futuristic domed cities on the moon. You could call it The Jet Age, and when businessjet timeshare company Flexjet offered to sponsor the Rodeo Drive Concours this year, it suddenly sounded like the perfect theme for the show.

BMW 4 Series Coupe: Video

The new 2014 BMW 4 Series (pictured) on video It seems to have taken a while for the BMW 4 Series – the replacement for the old 3 Series Coupe – to arrive – but now it’s here. Revealed last week, the 5 Series is a convincing take on a coupe version of the 3 Series, so convincing – and with more room in the back than before – that its seems likely it will take a bigger share of ’3 Series’ sales than the previous generation coupe. Not only is the overall package of the new 4 Series more convincing, so is the spec level.

Volvo V40 vs Mercedes A Class – Take the Challenge

Volvo are challenging buyers to compare the new V40 Pictured) against the Mercedes A Class Car makers often run a little scared of overt comparisons between their cars and those of rival car makers. But not Volvo. Volvo are throwing down the gauntlet to the new Mercedes A Class by offering buyers considering the new A Class their first month’s payment on the baby Merc if, after test driving a new V40, they still opt for the German.

Volvo poised for V8 Supercars entry Down Under in 2014

Volvo has confirmed that it has entered a factory team into the V8 Supercars for 2014. Volvo Polestar Racing will enter one of the world’s biggest touring car categories with a pair of V8-powered S60s, joining Nissan, Mercedes, Holden and Ford (which is rumoured as potentially departing the series). Where will the S60 get its V8?

BYD E6 Electric Cars arrive in the UK for fleet trials

More than 50 BYD E6 EVs arrive in Southampton, ready for UK trials It’s three years since the BYD E6 was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, with big claims for the future of BYD and the E6. And now the E6 has arrived in the UK. More than 50 BYD E6s have arrived in Southampton docks and are heading out for trials with UK fleet operators, principally the Taxi market.

Aston Martin DB9 4WD Plug-in Hybrid revealed by Bosch (video)

Bosch has built a plug-in hybrid Aston Martin DB9 We’ve always believed one of the best uses for hybrid powertrains is to provide extra performance on high-end cars, something Bosh has demonstrated by fitting the Aston Martin DB9 with a hybrid setup. The hybrid DB9 hasn’t been built to preview a production hybrid DB9 (although it probably should) but to demonstrate what Bosch can do with an existing car. Aston Martin donated the DB9 to Bosch for the hybrid project, and Bosh has fitted the DB9 with three electric motors – one at each front wheel and one next to the Aston’s V12 – which gives the DB9 something in the region of an extra 250bhp to play with.

Alfa Romeo MiTo gets a bit of a facelift for 2014 & more powerful TwinAir

The 2014 MY Alfa MiTo (pictured) get small tweaks and a more powerful TwinAir engine. We like the Alfa Romeo MiTo; it’s an underrated car and should be higher on most buyers’ wish lists. What we also like is that the MiTo has the fun little 875cc TwinAir engine as an option, which works pretty well, makes a good noise and promises stunning economy.

Hyundai Motorsport Facility opens in Germany

Hyundai’s new Motorsport facility in Germany No one can accuse Hyundai of not taking their return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2014 seriously. They’re busy preparing an i20 to take on the WRC, starting in Monte Carlo in January 2014, and have now started testing their swift WRC i20 in preparation. They’ve already recruited some impressive names to join their new Hyundai Motorsport GmbH team including Michel Nandan to head up their WRC efforts who has been joined by Frenchmen Bertrand Vallat and Stephane Girad, Alain Penasse, Ernst Kopp and Stefan Henrich.

New Mercedes S Class starts production – & reveals the new S 63 AMG

A new Mercedes S 63 AMG coming off the production line Last month we finally had the reveal of the new 2014 Mercedes S Class and it’s now started production in Sindelfingen in Germany. Which is what you’d expect. What you wouldn’t expect is that Mercedes would release a video (below) to accompany the news and manage to reveal a car that’s not yet been officially shown – the new Mercedes S 63 AMG – in the process.

Peugeot 2008 SUV sales strong – production to double

Peugeot are increasing production of the 2008 compact SUV (pictured) to meet demand We have a bit of a soft spot for a number of Peugeots, and we were convinced that the 2008 compact SUV would be a winner for PSA. And it seems it is. When we revealed UK prices for the 2008 last month, we commented that we thought Peugeot’s target of selling 8,000 a year in the UK was a modest one, and it appears Peugeot is quickly discovering the 2008 is even more popular than they’d hoped.

Tesla presents the $0.06 quarter-mile run

How much fun can you have for six cents? Depends on how much fun you consider crushing a Dodge Viper on the quarter-mile in a Tesla Model S. We showed you a video of that feat a while ago.

Lamborghini Gallardo replacement touted for Frankfurt motor show debut

September's Frankfurt motor show will see Lamborghini cap its 50th anniversary celebrations with a new concept car. The concept previews Lamborghini's upcoming replacement, sources close to the Italian supercar maker said. Rumor has it the car will be called the Lamborghini Cabrera.

Audi RS6 Avant heads for EJAF with a little help from Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow signing an Audi RS6 Avant heading for Elton John’s White Tie & Tiara Auction Audi UK has a bit of a history of donating cars for auction at Elton John’s annual White Tie & Tiara Ball in aid of the Elton John Aids Foundation, and 2013′s no different. In the past we’ve had the appealing R8 Spyder as an EJAF auction lot and an A1 painted by Damien Hirst, but this year the EJAF is getting the super-estate Audi RS6 Avant, scribbled on by the delectable Gwyneth Paltrow. Audi roped in Gwyneth to turn up at the UK launch of the new RS6 Avant at Audi City in London and got her scribbling her moniker  on the interior of the RS6, a task Audi says would make their uber-shed worth £88k if they sold it – but if previous EJAF auctions of Audi’s cars is anything to go by it’ll fetch a lot more than that when the hammer goes down.

Concept Car of the Week: Autobianchi Runabout (1969)

The 850 was a very popular car for Fiat in the ‘60s, especially in its spider version with its cute design and compact proportions. When the time came to replace it, Fiat went back to Bertone, where chief designer Marcello Gandini was charged with designing its replacement. Not happy to simply recreate the 850, he began with a whole new layout by placing the engine directly in front of the rear axle for a mid-engined layout.

Australian Automotive Industry Design Night announced

The Australian Auto Industry Design Night is set to take place on 28 June despite the surprise cancellation of the Melbourne motor show. Traditionally held on the first day of the show, this year's Auto Industry Design Night will be held at Gasolina, South Wharf, Melbourne. Gasolina is a concept created by two friends Dean Johnson and Carl Cerra, who is also an industrial designer/clay modeler and has also worked throughout Europe, you can check it out here.

Porsche shows Cayenne can do off-road – just like the new Range Rover Sport

Porsche shows the new Cayenne S Diesel can do off-road The Porsche Cayenne has come in for some stick since it first arrived a decade ago as the first SUV from Porsche. The world declared the Cayenne too ugly to look at – well, that was the opinion of a certain Mr Clarkson – but anyone who’s lived with a Cayenne will know just how focused it is; it feels like a high-riding M5 to drive and, despite the misconception that sporty SUVs don’t do off-road, it’s remarkably capable when the going gets tough. We’re sure it’s just a coincidence that the 2013 Porsche Performance Drive – from Chisinau to Bratislava – is taking place just after the new Range Rover Sport arrived as a truly capable sporty SUV – with its Land Rover off-road credentials still intact – but the event has given Porsche the chance to show the new Cayenne S Diesel can also do off-road with aplomb.

Volkswagen builds 30 millionth Golf (2013)

VW has built its 30 millionth Golf. The milestone car, a Mk7 TDI Bluemotion model, rolled off the Wolfsburg production line today (14 June 2013) and will be displayed at the factory’s open day to celebrate. On average, 2000 Golfs have been sold worldwide every day since its 1974, according to VW’s maths. Over the past 39 years there have been seven generations of Golf, from the Giugiaro-styled original right up to today’s range, which offers 227bhp in GTI Performance form, or 88mpg in the case of the Bluemotion.

New BMW 4 Series: Official – Full specs, prices and photos

The new 2014 BMW 4 Series (pictured) has been revealed ahaed of a Frankfurt debut We had the arrival of the new BMW 4 Series as a concept back in  December, but this afternoon BMW has revealed details of the production 4 Series ahead of a debut at Frankfurt in September. Looking little changed from the concept, the new 4 Series – a replacement for the old 3 Series Coupe – sits on the same basic platform as the new 3 Series but with wider track and lower suspension. A bit longer, a bit wider and a bit lower than the old 3 Series Coupe, the new 4 Series also gets a longer wheelbase – a bit more room in the back – and weight rises a bit too.

Toyota GT86 TRD Griffon heading for Goodwood FoS

The Toyota GT86 TRD Griffon (pictured) will be at the Goodwood FoS We’ve had a road-going version of the Toyota GT86 fettled by TRD and now we’re getting a track-focused version too. Just like the Toyota GT86 TRD, the Griffon version gets a makeover from Toyota Racing Division, and just like the road-going version – which costs £31,495 – the Griffon track version has to make do with the same 197bhp flat four engine the stock road car gets. But the changes to the GT86 Griffon are more extreme than the road-going version, with a focus on shedding weight and sharpening responses.

Who's Where: Peter Arcadipane appointed BAIC's design director

Peter Arcadipane has joined BAIC as its new design director. Based at its new hi-tech design facility in Beijing, China, he oversees a team of around 130 designers. The Australian designer, formerly of Mercedes-Benz, has been challenged to steer state-owned BAIC towards a more coherent and strategic position within China, with its chairman wanting to take the carmaker more upmarket.

Meet the new 2014 BMW 4-series coupe

Thanks to certain European websites, BMW's 3-series coupe replacement is out a few hours early. Here's the 2014 BMW 4-series revealed in production form. The 4 will take on the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz C-class coupe and make its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Banks and Ryan ready for Pikes Peak

Gale Banks, part-time stunt driver Mike Ryan and the diesel wizards from Gale Banks Engineering will return to Pikes Peak this year with the Freightliner Cascadia that finished ninth in 2012. Competing in the Pikes Peak Open class, the team has been furiously working on the truck at the Banks Performance home base in Azusa, Calif. To get the semi tractor up the 12.4 mile road, Banks is installing its Super-Turbo setup on the 14.7-liter, Detroit Diesel-equipped truck.

Audi Quattro return planned for Frankfurt motor show

Audi is planning to return the Quattro to its lineup some 30 years after the original model first appeared, Autoweek sources say. September's Frankfurt motor show is shaping up as the likely backdrop for the reveal; the car looks like it could be one of the German automaker's most exciting cars in quite some time. Word is sales will start in 2014.

BMW 4-series coupe (2013) first official pictures

These are the first official pictures of the new BMW 4-series coupe. The replacement for the existing 3-series coupe, it mixes the shape of the Concept 4-series with toned-down details from the regular F30-gen 3-series saloon. The rear-drive, 2+2-seater coupe will go on UK sale in October 2013, after its in the metal debut at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show this September.

Report: Fiat-Chrysler could cut Dodge

Fiat-Chrysler could move into 2016 without the Dodge brand, according to a report from Wards Automotive. While the company has plans to integrate Fiat platforms into Chrysler, Ram and Jeep products, Wards reports that Dodge’s lineup is thinning. The midsize Dodge Avenger sedan will not be replaced when its production ends early next year, and two other Dodge products are expected to move to the Chrysler brand or be discontinued.

New Range Rover is Car Dealer’s Car of the Year

The new Range Rover (pictured) get Car Dealer Magazine’s Car of the Year Award The new Range Rover may have started its trophy cabinet with an award for the best 4×4 from the Sunday Times – even though they’d never driven it – but the Car of the Year Award from Car Dealer Magazine is a much more credible one. It’s more credible because it’s voted on by car dealers across the UK – from a wide range of franchises – and gives credibility not just to the new Range Rover but to Land Rover’s support of dealers too. Car Dealer Magazine say the new Range Rover was the clear winner by a mile, with dealers commenting the latest version of the Range Rover is a gargantuan step on from the old model – which itself was already very good – and that it ‘Cannot fail to impress’.

Want to be a Racing Driver? Fiat’s Abarth could have the answer

Win the chance to be a racing driver with Abarth It’s every boy’s dream to be a racing driver and get behind the wheel of a race car for real, and Abarth - the go-faster bit of Fiat – may just be able to give you a leg-up in the right direction. Abarth are running a competition to find new racing drivers, with the winners of the competition being taken off to a 10-day camp to be assessed by motorsport coaches and helped by race car instructors. If you want to take part you’ll need to be over 18, not a professional driver already and willing to jump through a few hoops to get the chance to win a place at camp, and ultimately take part in a proper race at Monza.