Blog on 2040Parts

Skoda Superb facelift (2013) first official pictures

This is the new 2013 Skoda Superb, which sports completely redesigned front and rear bodywork, and more frugal powertrains than the outgoing car. What's new under the bonnet of the 2013 Skoda Superb? Stop-start tech and a kinetic energy recovery system (which takes the strain off the engine's alternator by using braking to charge up a capacitor) cuts fuel consumption by up to 19% versus the old Superb. It's all fitted as standard on the diesel engines, and the entry-level 1.4 TSI petrol.

Karmann-Ghia launches contest for Brazilian design students

Karmann-Ghia has launched a competition for Brazilian students to design a modern interpretation of its classic Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Coupé. Students will be competing for a top prize of R$100,000 (US$49,750) with the possibility that the winning design will be developed into a prototype. The student awarded second place will earn themselves R$60,000 (US$29,800) while the third placed entry is worth R$14,884 (US$7,350).

New SEAT Leon SC: Price from £15,370

The new SEAT Leon SC (3-door), which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show last month, will cost from £15,370 for the S 1.2TSI. Not only is the Leon SC cheaper than the Hatch, SEAT has gone to some trouble to differentiate the two with the SC getting a lower roofline, more steeply raked windscreen and new tailgate, as well as being 35mm shorter. Despite which the Leon SC still has decent leg and head room in the back and a boot that’s as big as the Leon hatch.

Porsche 918 Spyder to get 875bhp to take on McLaren P1 & LaFerrari

The Porche 918 Spyder – Porsche’s hybrid supercar – is to get a power boost and go on a diet to better compete with the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari. But the duo of hybrid supercars at Geneva will become a trio at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September when the Porsche 918 Spyder gets revealed in final production form before heading for a select group of customers in 2014. It does seem to have taken Porsche quite a while to get the 918 Spyder in production-ready guise  but it seems they may have been waiting to see what McLaren and Ferrari had up their collective sleeves before settling on a production specification for the 918 Spyder.

Citroën C4 Picasso

The all-new Citroën C4 Picasso will come as no surprise to anyone who saw the Thechnospace concept at last month's Geneva motor show as it's essentially identical, bar some color and trim details. This five-seat, C-segment MPV/minivan is shorter than the car it replaces by 40mm at 4,430mm, meaning it's closer to the old Xsara Picasso in size. It is a little wider than the old C4 at 1,830mm and its wheelbase spans an extra 55mm at 2,785mm, which Citroën says means it boast more interior and luggage space than before.

2013 Porsche Panamera facelift & new Panamera S E-Hybrid revealed UPDATED + video

The 2013 / 2014 facelift for the Porsche Panamera has been revealed, together with a new Panamera S E-Hybrid with 410bhp. Update: We published this story before Porsche officially revealed details, but we covered most of the news on the Panamera facelift accurately. As well as the new E-Hybrid (for which Porsche are actually claiming 91mpg), there will also be a new long wheelbase Panamera ‘Executive’ model with 15cm extra in the wheelbase.

Citroen C4 Picasso (2013) first official pictures

Citroen's new C4 Picasso has lost weight, boasts more cabin space, and enough touchscreen gadgetry inside to embarrass a branch of Currys. What's under the skin of the new Citroen C4 Picasso? Underpinning the car is PSA Peugeot-Citroen's new do-it-all platform.

Maserati Ghibli teased ahead of Shanghai Motor Show debut

Maserati appear to be teasing the arrival of the smaller Quattroporte – the Maserati Ghibli – at the Shanghai Motor Show later this month. Maserati is on a bit of a new model rush at the moment, and it looks like the tease photo they’ve released today is for the new Maserati Ghibli. The Maserati Ghibli isn’t going to be a sporty coupe – as you might reasonably expect – but a cut-down version of the new Quattroporte, designed to take on the performance versions of Europe’s executive express cars – think BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E Class and Jaguar XF.

2013 Citroen C4 Picasso: First photos & details

The new 2013 Citroen C4 Picasso has been revealed ahead of going on sale in the summer. It’s lighter, bigger and more frugal than the old C4 Picasso. Built on the same EMPS2 platform from PSA that will be used on the new Peugeot 308, the new C4 Picasso sheds weight by using aluminium for the bonnet, alloy components, a composite rear floor and tailgate to make the new C4 Picasso 140kg lighter than the old Picasso.

Why LaFerrari was designed in Maranello

Love it or hate it, the design of LaFerrari comes completely from one place— Maranello. The most powerful street-legal Ferrari ever made was styled entirely in-house, which means that for the first time in recent memory, a Ferrari wasn't crafted by Pininfarina. An Italian legend in its own right, the design house has created nearly 200 Ferraris dating to the early 1950s.

Detroit 3 set pace as March sales advance

UPDATED-U.S. light-vehicle sales -- led by strong pickup and crossover demand at Detroit's automakers -- rose 3 percent to 1.45 million units last month, slightly below forecasts but a positive signal the spring selling season is off to a solid start. It was the industry's best month since 1.48 million light vehicles were sold in August 2007.

Buick recalls handful of Encore SUVs for steering-wheel issue

General Motors is recalling 144 Buick Encore crossovers built between Dec. 9 and Dec. 28, 2012 that are equipped with a heated steering wheel.

Customers less satisfied with run-flat, low-rolling resistance tires

In non-April Fool's news, customers who buy cars shod with run-flat tires are nearly twice as likely to have to replace them as people with more conventional tires, according to a J.D. Power and Associates study. The poll also found that customers are also less satisfied with low-rolling resistance tires.

Study shows half of licensed drivers would fail driver's test

As if the roads weren't dangerous enough, a recent survey of 500 licensed drivers over the age of 18 found that 44 percent of them would fail a written driving test if they had to take it today. The survey, commissioned by CarInsurance.com. If the content leaves you scratching your head, we suggest hitting the books.

GM announces pricing for 2014 pickups

The redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups go on sale this spring with V8 engines that General Motors claims will get slightly better fuel economy than the rival Ford F-150 equipped with a turbocharged V6. Chevrolet is holding the base sticker price on the 2014 Silverados to the same as that of the 2013 models. This means a rear-drive 2014 Silverado with the base V6 engine will sticker at $24,585, although that model won't be in dealerships until this summer.

Scion considers moving upscale

Toyota's struggling Scion brand may move upscale to challenge entry-level luxury models coming from European automakers. The new lower-luxury niche includes Mini, the front-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz CLA arriving this fall and Audi's compact A3 sedan shown last week on the eve of the New York auto show. Scion has gone after young entry-level buyers since its inception 10 years ago but has lost its early momentum.

2014 Corvette Stingray sales start limited to 900 Chevy dealers

When the redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray begins rolling off the assembly line in Bowling Green, Ky., in late summer, only about 900 of Chevrolet's 3,000-plus dealers will get cars. Last week, General Motors confirmed to Chevy dealers which ones had qualified to sell the Stingray at launch. Those dealerships can begin ordering the car in the next few weeks.

Tesla ‘drops’ entry-level Model S. But was it ever going to be available?

The 40kWh version of the Tesla Model S is being dropped by Tesla in the US, but we do wonder if Tesla ever had any intention of delivering it in the first place. Tesla’s big claim ahead of the arrival of the, very impressive, Model S – and a seemingly vital part of the US taxpayer funding Tesla to develop the Model S – was that they would deliver a car that cost under $50k, something the car industry thought impossible. But when the Model S was launched, Tesla did indeed have an entry-level model available with a 4okWh battery that was listed at $58,750 (taking it almost down to the $50k mark after the US taxpayer chipped in the EV bribe) so Elon Musk could, quite reasonably, claim Tesla had delivered.

Subaru XV gets world’s first self-cleaning function (+ video)

Subaru UK has revealed that the Subaru XV Crossover can now be specified with the world’s first self-cleaning function for a car. It’s a decent effort from Subaru, with added credibility as a compact urban warrior coming from Subaru’s 4WD prowess, a choice of a couple of petrol engines and a couple of diesels, manual or auto options and prices from £21k to £30k. But in a crowded market place it’s good to have a USP, so Subaru has pushed the boat out and is offering a world first for the Subaru XV – a self-cleaning function.

Ssangyong LIV-1 SUV: Seoul Motor Show

Ssangyong has rolled out yet another SUV Concept at its home motor show in Seoul – the Ssangyong LIV-1 SUV. The Ssangyong LIV-1 SUV is another new SUV concept from Ssangyong (we’ve had the SsangYong SIV-1 at Geneva and the e-XIV EV Concept at Paris in the last six months) with a  catchy little moniker, this one a ‘Limitless Interface Vehicle, which sets the bar quite high. The LIV-1 does have a better looking nose than any of Ssangyong’s current crop of production cars (well, certainly than the Rexton and Rodius) although it does look like the designers were competing to see how many creases they could add to the bodywork of the LIV-1.

Want the Jaguar XKR-S GT in the UK? Then demand it.

The track-focused, but road-legal, Jaguar XKR-S GT is aimed just at North America, but Jaguar will build it for the UK if there’s demand. When we reported the arrival of the XKR-S GT last week, we knew the new Jag was being offered in the US (25 cars) and Canada (5 cars) but we didn’t know what the numbers where for the rest of the world. It turns out, at the moment, that the North American run is all there is.

New Renault Clio comes with Va Va Voom Button (+ video)

Renault UK has produced adverts for the new 2013 Renault Clio that feature a ‘Va Va Voom’ button to transport UK drivers to the heart of Paris. Mired in the problems of over-capacity, a stroppy workforce and a world that has fallen out of love with mainstream hatches, the new Clio needs to sell. And sell well.

2014 Range Rover Sport: Video, Photos, Configurator & Specification

With the 2014 Range Rover Sport now in the open after its debut at the New York Auto Show, we have video, photos, detail, spec and the Range Rover Sport configurator. James Bond reportedly got paid $1 million to drive the new Range Rover Sport briefly through Manhattan and Land Rover got endless column inches online and in print, trending status on Twitter and countless mentions on Facebook et al. So, a triumphant launch for Land Rover – and probably the star of the New York Auto Show too – and a great start for the new version of what has been Land Rover’s best-selling car until the Range Rover Evoque landed.

New Land Rover Defender will be “…the bollocks, the absolute dog’s bollocks”!

Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern has made it clear that the new Land Rover Defender – due in 2015 – will be a car that will be a perfect replacement for the iconic Defender. It’s not often you get a proper statement of intent on a planned new car, but Land Rover’s design director Gerry McGovern has made it absolutely clear what he thinks of the new Land Rover Defender he’s busy creating. Speaking to a small group of Australian journalists, Gerry communicated his feelings about the new Defender in the best way possible, simply by not mincing his words: “This car will be the bollocks, I assure you.

All-new MINI dashboard goes mainstream (spy photo)

The all-new MINI – the third generation of the new MINI – is due later in 2013 and will be getting a more mainstream dashboard. Whatever you may think of the ‘new’ MINI – the one BMW make – it’s been a huge success. And it’s been a huge success because it’s managed to evoke the spirit of the original Issigonis Mini without being a pastiche.

Mazda’s suitcase car is three-wheeled perfection

A lot of people complain about the fact that the future started years ago, and, yet, no one’s produced a viable flying car. That disappointment is misplaced. The real tragedy is that Mazda never mass produced the suitcase car.

EPA calls for lower-sulfur gasoline

The EPA proposed a package of rules Friday that includes cleaner gasoline and stricter limits on pollution from the tailpipes of cars, despite objections from the oil industry. The rules, known as Tier 3, have been supported by car companies because they would bring U.S. standards into alignment with those of California, where gasoline must have a lower sulfur content to help reduce tailpipe emissions.

Hyundai HND-9 Coupe Debuts

Hyundai’s stunning HND-9 Coupe Concept, which previews a new Hyundai design language and probably the next Genesis Coupe, debuts in Seoul. Now the HND-9 has been revealed, and it’s a bit of a looker. No, it’s actually a lot of a looker.

Subaru WRX Concept: New York Auto Show 2013 – UPDATED + video

Subaru has revealed a concept for the next generation WRX at the New York Motor Show this week, but will it make it to the UK? The Subaru WRX is the poster child for the Playstation Generation, but Subaru in the UK seem to have fallen out of love with the idea of a budget supercar, preferring to concentrate on fluffy bunny dreams of hybrids and fresh air from the tailpipe. So there’s a lot of uncertainty if the next generation WRX – previewed this week in New York by the WRX Concept – will make it to the UK when it turns in to a production model.

Jaguar F-Type: 2013 World Car Design of the Year

The new Jaguar F-Type has been declared 2013 World Car Design of the Year at the New York Auto Show this week. We have to confess we moaned about a few details on  the F-Type when it arrived, and about the price. But we soon realised that, rather than being a pricey alternative to a Porsche Boxster, the new Jaguar F-Type was actually a real alternative to the Aston Martin Vantage – turning it in to something of a bargain offering.