Blog on 2040Parts

Concept Car of the Week: Ford Forty-Nine (2001)

Over 1.3 million orders were placed for the 1949 Ford before it even went officially on sale. The revolutionary post-war design with slick slab sides and semi-covered wheels became a symbol of American optimism. "The inspiration for the Forty-Nine concept comes from the passion and excitement of the original, combined with the imagination of people across America who customized the car and turned it into what they thought a really great car should be," said J Mays, Ford's vice president of Design at the unveiling of the retro-futurist coupe back in 2001.

McLaren launches P1 'Designing by Air' online experience

McLaren has developed a new online experience, 'Designed by Air' to tell the story of the car's design and development. Designed by Air is the first of a two-part series and gives users the chance to hear in detail how the car was created, as the car appears from raw metallic and carbon elements and is crafted by airflow. The P1 is eventually formed inside a wind tunnel, designed to emphasize the car's aerodynamic qualities.

New 2013 Porsche 911 Turbo & Turbo S revealed: UPDATED with Video

This time there’s no waiting for the Turbo S to follow the Turbo, with both models on offer straight out of the gate. The 911 Turbo gets the 3.8 litre flat six with 513bhp and the Turbo S gets an even more fulsome 552bhp, enough to get to 62mph in just 3.1 seconds and on to 198mph. And, with its four wheel drive, it’ll feel even quicker in the real world.

First Sight: Toyota Me.We concept

Hot on the fluorescent heels of Renault's recent Twin'Z reveal in Milan, Toyota revealed its own industrial design collaboration, the ME.WE, at a private event at the its upscale showroom Le Rendez-vous Toyota on the Champs Elysées in Paris last week. Designed jointly by Toyota's ED2 studio in the south of France and renowned French architect and industrial designer Jean-Marie Massaud, the ME.WE is a polyvalent 4-seat electric vehicle to "combat the crisis". It is designed to be simple and functional, yet also project an image of intelligence for our modern times.

Volkswagen Scirocco Million celebrates a million Sciroccos – but not for the UK

A million sales of a particular model of a car is something to celebrate, so Volkswagen is building a special edition Scirocco – the Scirocco Million ()catchy little name) – to celebrate the event. But it’s not exactly a world wide celebration. In fact, VW is only offering the Scirocco Million in Germany and China, which perhaps tells you more about where the Scirocco still ramps up sales than anything else.

Porsche 911 Turbo S (2013) at Frankfurt motor show

Porsche has topped off the 991-generation 911 range with a new Turbo and Turbo S model. The forced-induction 911 is the fastest Turbo yet, mixing Ferrari 458 levels of power with new chassis technology from the hardcore 911 GT3. What are the new Porsche 911 Turbo’s performance stats?

1961 Jaguar E-Type ‘Barn Find’ sells for £110k

Rarity is all in the classic car world, which is one of the reasons why the early, pre-Fiat Ferraris command huge prices (there were only 33 Series 1 Ferrari 250 GTOs built and you would now have to pay north of $40 million for one) and why the E-Type – glorious and desirable though it is – commands a fraction of that. In fact, you can pick up a very decent E-Type in good condition for as little as £50k, and even E-Types that have been fully restored and with low mileage don’t often break the £100k barrier. So why has this tatty 1961 flat-floor E-Type sold for £119,020 at Bonhams auction at the RAF Museum in Hendon?

Jaguar F-Type Coupe revealed – sort of

But, as expected, Jaguar are heading full tilt towards a production F-Type Coupe that will follow the lines of the appealing CX-16, as evidenced by the patent image filings (above) acquired by Auto Motor und Sport. The show an F-Type Coupe that delivers almost all of the style the CX-16 did – just as Land Rover managed when they turned the LRX in to the Range Rover Evoque – which will disappoint no one. In fact, the coupe – with its roof line flowing down from the A-pillar right to the tail – is better looking than the Roadster and more evocative of the E-Type.

Official: 2014 Corvette Stingray to pace Indy 500

On Thursday, the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 was announced, and if you are one to get excited about pace cars, it's time to get excited. This year, "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" will be paced by the 2014 Corvette Stingray. That's right, the seventh-generation Corvette Stingray will be leading the field to green.

Behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Black Series - video

Today I am going to lecture you about the benefits of slow, boring, electric-car transportation as it relates to V2G connectivity. Also, about the virtues of eating broccoli. Ha ha!

Hemi Coronet, Triumph 2000 and Bentley top sales at Novi auction

A 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 Hemi convertible was the top seller at the second annual Novi Metro Detroit Spring Classic Car Auction on April 27. It crossed the block, which was commandeered by Hagerty. A 1940 Ford V8 Deluxe convertible was second, selling for $37,800.

VW developing 10-speed transmission to save fuel

Volkswagen is developing a 10-speed dual-clutch transmission to help reduce fuel consumption in its vehicles, CEO Martin Winterkorn said. The transmission is one of a number of drivetrain technologies that the automaker is focusing on for the mid- and long term, he said. Others include plug-in hybrids and a high performance diesel engine.

Lotus Exige S Roadster arriving Summer 2013 (video)

So the revelation that the Lotus Exige S Roadster – which had an outing as a concept at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show – is finally making it in to production and will arrive in the Summer of 2013 is exactly the sort of Lotus news we want to hear. Lotus has revealed the Exige S Roadster as a reality in a short tease video (below) telling us the new Lotus will be ‘Ready for the Summer’, although by the time it gets in to the hands of customers summer will probably be already over (if it’s not already – we have had a few nice days in a row). The Exige S Roadster will get the same 345bhp 3.5 litre V6 complete with supercharger as the coupe which will be enough to get you to 62mph in just 4 seconds, and you’ll be able to row it along with either a six-speed manual or automated manual ’box plus, thanks to a very lightweight folding roof and the loss of the back spoiler, the Roadster will weigh no more than the coupe so should handle exactly how a Lotus is meant to.

Drink Driving rules get tougher

There’s been talk for some time that the government are planning to reduce the current drink driving limit, but, sensibly, it seems they’ve decided, at least for now, that there’s little to be gained by shooting drivers for having a rum baba for desert. Instead, the rules are to be toughened up to make persistent drink drivers jump through more hoops before they can get their licence back. No longer will it be enough to simply get to the end of their ban, they’ll have to prove they are no longer reliant on alcohol and pass a medical.

Peugeot 2008 Crossover: UK price from £12,995

That meant the Urban Crossover Concept from Geneva in 2012 turning in to the new Peugeot 2008 at the start of 2013 – before heading to Geneva 2013 for its public debut – and with that other French car maker, Renault, going a similar route with the Clio-based Captur, it’s clear the French see the future of compact cars moving away from hatchbacks to something more rugged. But unlike the Captur – which was a bit of a disappointing looking Clio on stilts – the Peugeot 2008 does look a more convincing offering, even if it’s a more generic-looking compact SUV than the Nissan Juke and would, for our money, be the pick over the Captur. Peugeot are targeting 8,000 sales a year in the UK for the 2008, and with prices starting at £12,995 and heading up to around £19,000 it seems, if anything, a quite modest target, especially as Peugeot reckons 65 per cent of 2008 customers will be new to the brand.

2013 VW Golf TDI BlueMotion Mk 7 costs from £20,335

Starting at £20,335 for the 3-door BlueMotion and rising to £20,990 for the 5-door, the new Golf also emits just 85g/km CO2 (which would have been enough for free London Congestion charging, but not any more) which is 15 per cent better than the previous Mk 6 TDI BlueMotion managed. VW has managed to tweak the Golf BlueMotion’s economy figures still further by reducing weight, fitting super low rolling resistance tyres (that run with higher pressure), longer gear ratios, stop-start and aerodynamic tweaks. Thos aerodynamic tweaks includes modifications to the front of the Golf to reduce drag by nearly 10 per cent, adding a roof spoiler, air guide elements on the back window, a masked front grill, smoother underfloor and a reduction of ride height by 15mm.

Nissan launches UK Clay Modeling Apprentice Program

Nissan has launched a Clay Modeling Apprentice Program in the UK, designed to recruit skilled clay modelers to boost the UK's position in global vehicle design. Business Secretary Vince Cable and Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer were present at the launch – held at Nissan's London-based European Design Center – of a scheme that aims to address the national shortage of clay modelers. Palmer explains, "Clay modeling is an integral part of the design process and vital in helping the design team visualize ideas.

Nissan lowers vehicle prices to boost Internet shopping

Jockeying for better position in Internet shopping sites, Nissan will cut the manufacturer's suggested retail prices on seven key models, effective Friday. The price cuts range from a $580 reduction on the brand's volume leader, the Altima, which was redesigned for 2013 and was the best-selling car in the nation in March, to $4,400 off of the Armada full-sized SUV. The price adjustments affect vehicles that represent two-thirds of the brand's U.S.

One lap of the Web: Millennials, espionage and vintage racing

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. -- Talkin' 'bout my generation.

Calling all customized Chryslers

Chrysler is jumping on the social-media contest craze with a new campaign honoring those who love to customize their Chryslers. The top prize includes a trip to the "Custom Challenge" tab on Chrysler's Facebook page. Visitors to the page can vote on their favorite entries through July 1, 2013.

One Lap of the Web: Moonbuggies, the first car phone and a romp in the snow with an EVO

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. -- Obama named Charlotte, N.C.

Redesigned 2014 Lexus IS base price increases

Lexus has set the base price of the 2014 IS compact sport sedan at $36,845, including shipping, an increase of $885 from its predecessor, Lexus said. In contrast, the top-level IS 350 with all-wheel drive starts at $42,595, including shipping, which is 2.1 percent lower than the model it replaces, Lexus said in a statement this week. The pricing makes good on Lexus' guarantee to keep the base price attainable for consumers “by narrowing the gap between the 250 and 350,” a Lexus spokesman said.

Ford, Nissan, GM, Chrysler post double-digit April sales gains

UPDATED: Strong demand for large pickups and new models propelled Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., General Motors and Chrysler Group to double-digit sales gains in April, signaling the auto industry's recovery remains solid. The seasonally adjusted annualized sales rate for April was tracking at 15.1 million based on results from automakers representing 55 percent of the U.S. market, J.P.

Frank Stephenson on the importance of color in design

During the announcement of the McLaren Automotive's partnership with paints and coatings company, AkzoNobel, Car Design News took the opportunity to discuss the importance of color in design with design director Frank Stephenson. According to Stephenson color's ability to invoke emotions and communicate with viewers, he described just how big a part it has to play in the design process and how it inspires designers when developing products. "The first thing color does is influence the brand – it gives the customer an identifiable element to what we're talking about.

Coda EV startup files for bankruptcy

Electric-car startup Coda Holdings Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday after producing just 100 of its EV sedans, according to a report from Reuters. Coda filed with U.S.

New design app aims to revolutionize design process

The Morpholio 2.0 app has been launched with a host of new tools aimed at revolutionizing the design process across all disciplines. Launched in July last year specifically for architects, this iteration is the result of collaboration between developers and designers in the automotive and fashion fields, among others. "Aside from making design production easier, we wanted to know if better tools could make it smarter by integrating the wisdom of crowds and capitalizing on the power of the touchscreen to capture feedback," says Anna Kenoff, Morpholio co-creator.

Warren Golf & Country Club Classic & Supercar event this weekend

There are plenty of supercar and classic car shows up and down the UK to keep petrolheads (and their families) fed with a regular dose of adrenalin and high-octane thrills, but it’s always nice to report on a new one, especially a new one that offers the promise of something worth making the effort for. The Warren Golf & Country Club, which nestles on the Warren Estate in Woodham Mortimer – far from the white stilettos and tangoed complexions of the more chavvy parts of Essex – has its first ever classic and supercar show event this Saturday (4th May 2013) and they’ve made a pretty good fist of putting an appealing array of goodies together. Max Chilton, a relatively new entrant in the F1 world, will be there together with his Marussia F1 car, as will be the entire Le Mans Jaguar XJR Team thanks to local specialists JD Classics.

2013 Mercedes SL gets AMG Sport models

It’s not much more than a year since the new Mercedes SL arrived, but that’s not stopping Mercedes UK giving the range a bit of a makeover for 2013 / 2014. Both the SL 350 and SL 500 get a bit of an AMG makeover with the arrival of the AMG Sports Package for the SL range. That means a set of 19″ AMG alloys, lowered sports suspension, AMG body kit with new front and rear aprons and side sills, better brakes on the SL 350 and a boot lip.

Mercedes accidentally publishes the first 2014 Mercedes S-Class photo

The image has since been removed, but not before it escaped in to the wild to give us our first official view of the new S Class, a car which has always set new standards in equipment and safety with each new launch, and the 2014 S Class will be no different. What will be different is the range of models we expect to arrive in the next few years, from standard and long wheelbase S Class through an S Class Coupe, S Class Convertible and a super-luxury S Class Pullman, which will effectively replace Mercedes’ failed Maybach adventure. The new S Class looks less bulbous than its current incarnation, with the bulging rear wheel arches gone and a slimmer look all round.

McLaren P1 gets an Arctic shakedown (+video)

So McLaren are busy throwing the worst conditions they can at the P1 to make sure it can perform even in the harshest of conditions and be the best driver’s car in the world – even when there’s several feet of ice under its wheels. McLaren has had several XP prototypes of the P1 running round the world’s harshest climates – hot and cold – and have delivered a video of the P1 prototype playing on the ice in the north of Sweden – inside the Arctic Circle – to keep interest in the P1 bubbling along ahead of its dynamic debut in the UK at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. Despite its enormous power – 903bhp from a combination of its turbo 3.8 litre V8 and electric motor – the P1 does look composed and capable, even with sub-zero temperatures and a surface that has zero grip.