Blog on 2040Parts

Wolfgang Egger outlines Audi's future design strategy

Audi is shifting its design strategy as it changes the way it designs and develops its cars. The carmaker's head of design Wolfgang Egger believes that a closer cohesion of the car's exterior and interior will create a ‘seamless entity' to help differentiate its models. The first example of the strategy is Audi's latest show car, the Crosslane Coupe, revealed at the Paris motor show in September.

Hyundai beats 2011 sales figures – with almost 2 months of 2012 left

Hyundai UK has revealed that it has sold 64,000 cars so far in 2012, beating the 2011 sales total of 63,577 with almost two months to go. Hyundai UK is celebrating after surpassing their total UK sales of 63,577 cars in 2011 with the best part of two months of 2012 still left to rack up more sales – 64,000 cars sold in 2012 and counting. The strong Hyundai sales are no doubt thanks to a strong showing from the i40 and i40 Tourer and the new i30, both of which are now rolling out of UK showrooms in decent numbers.

2013 Ford Fiesta production starts

Ford has started to build the new 2013 Fiesta at their plant in Cologne which means the new Fiesta will be in a showroom near you soon. The facelift for the 2013 Fiesta sees the arrival of the ‘Aston Martin’ grill bolted to the front of the new Fiesta – a pitch for the AM Cygnet contract, perhaps – together with new headlights with LED running lights and a bulge up the bonnet. Small changes, but they do make the new Fiesta bolder, even though it loses some of its finesse in the process.

BMW X4 debut at Detroit 2013

The BMW X4 – a coupe version of the X3 aimed at the Range Rover Evoque and Porsche Macan – will debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The BMW X4 – a baby X6 – has been on the cards for some time. We first reported BMW were planning on building a coupe version of the X3 in early 2010 and by late 2010 we were hearing that BMW had signed off the X4 for production.

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster (2013) first pictures

Lamborghini has chopped the top off the Aventador supercar to create the new 2013 LP700-4 Roadster. The big news? The loss of the Murcielago convertible's hopeless 'umbrella' soft-top, which took a couple of people 10 minutes to erect - but only after much head-scratching and swearing.

Volvo V40 Review: D3 SE Nav (2012)

This week we have Volvo’s very promising new V40 in for review and test in the guise of the V40 D3 SE Nav manual. For perhaps the first time, Volvo are offering a serious alternative to cars like the BMW 1 Series (and the new Mercedes A Class) with the V40. Certainly on all the things that grab the headlines – looks, performance and equipment – the V40 seems to be a very credible effort from Volvo.

Pagani Huayra in Purple with Tricolour Calipers (video)

We have video of what looks like a new build Pagani Huayra, still plastic wrapped, in purple with Italian Tricolour brake calipers. That’s because the Pagani Huayra has not, as far as we can tell, managed to get a European Certificate of Conformity or managed to be Federalised for the US, so sales are impossible. But Pagani are still producing a few cars – although they’ve probably built more Zondas in the last two years than Huayras – but it looks like this Huayra – caught on video outside Pagaini’s premises in Modena – is a new build.

Mercedes SLS Black Series: The Video

Just a couple of days on from the reveal of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series, Mercedes delivers a video of their new Black Series. And the SLS Black probably gets closer to what the McLaren SLR offered than the regular SLS does, although it’s still down on the power of the SLR, and its performance to 62mph is no better and its top speed is 10mph slower. Still, even if it will cost around £200k, it’s still a big chunk cheaper than the SLR was.

Caterham Supersport R extends Caterham 7 range

Caterham has added the Supersport R to its range of ’7′ models with a 2.0 litre Duratec Ford engine delivering 180bhp. In the meantime, Caterham’s core road car business is the old Lotus 7 range of Caterhams, so it makes sense to keep that more appealing and relevant until new cars start to arrive, so we get the Caterham Supersport R as an addition to the range to slot in between the Supersport and the Superlight models. The Supersport R gets a Ford Duratec 2.0 litre engine which produces 180bhp, which doesn’t sound a huge amount, but when you consider the Supersport R weighs in at just 535kg it starts to look plenty.

Aston Martin IS up for sale. But you knew that.

The Kuwait Investment Dar – Aston Martin’s biggest shareholder – is seeking a buyer for its 64 per cent share of Aston Martin. Just over a year ago, we reported that Aston Martin was up for sale, even though AML were emphatic the company was doing well and not seeking a new owner. But now it seems a year or more of trying to find a buyer on the quiet has failed, so Aston Martin’s biggest shareholder - the Kuwait Investment Dar with 64 per cent – has instructed Rothschild to advise on the sale, according to Bloomberg.

Mazda to build new Toyota car for U.S. market

Mazda Motor Corp. will build a Toyota subcompact car at its new plant in Mexico for sale in the United States. The new Toyota will be a rebadged version of the Mazda2 and go on sale in 2015.

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta to be auctioned for Sandy victims

Ferrari is doing its part to help Hurricane Sandy victims by auctioning off the first F12 Berlinetta that will be sold on American soil. The base price of Ferrari's halo model is about $315,000. We'd expect this one to go for much more than that.

Ford software maximizes hybrid efficiency

Ford will use a little navigation wizardry on two of its hybrids: the C-Max Energi plug-in and Fusion. The system will use GPS data and an algorithm to predict when a driver is close frequented destinations. The car will adjust powertrain controls to maximize efficiency.Ford calls the feature EV+, which is part of SmartGauge, standard on the Fusion Energi and C-Max Energi plug-ins and on hybrid models.

Caterham introduces track-focused Supersport R

Caterham Cars in the United Kingdom is adding to its range of open-wheel, extra-light sportscars with the Supersport R. The R model builds on the Supersport trim with more power, interior upgrades and an 1,179-pound curb weight. The Supersport R is motivated by a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec engine making 180 hp and 143 lb-ft of torque.

Concept Car of the Week: Renault Argos (1994)

The 1994 Renault Argos concept is the little sports car based on the humble Twingo that continues to resonate in design terms. Designed by current PSA Director of Design, Jean-Pierre Ploué, the minimalist three-seater ushered in a new design movement dubbed ‘Esprit Nouveau' (New Spirit) that re-instated The Car as an industrial machine after a period of organic, Bio-design influence. Pared-back, broken down into its component parts and proudly bare, the Argos mixed the post-industrial functionality of a contemporary fighter aircraft with a twist of Steampunk fantasy.

Porsche Cayenne based Eterniti Artemis production debut

The Eterniti Artemis – a titivated Porsche Cayenne – is shown in almost production-ready guise before a debut in Asia in 2013. But despite plenty of negatives about the Eterniti Artemis – not least of which are how it looks and how much it costs – Eterniti seem sure they have a market – certainly in Asia – and they’re now showing us what is pretty much the production-ready version of the Artemis (above). Power comes from the same V8 Turbo the Cayenne Turbo gets, but Eterniti have tweaked it to deliver 600bhp and 750Nm of torque, despite which it’s no quicker than the £107k Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.

2013 Porsche Cayman debut at Los Angeles

The 2013 Porsche Cayman has been confirmed by Porsche to debut at the 2012 Los Angels Auto Show later this month. The new Porsche Cayman has been on the way for quite a while. As long ago as October 2011 we ran a video of Porsche’s new 911, new Bosxter and new Cayman out on the sleepy streets of San Francisco  but now it appears the last of the three to be revealed - the new Cayman – is heading for this month’s L.A.

Official: Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series has been revealed ahead of going on sale in the Summer of 2013. The SLS Black Series gets the usual mix for a Mercedes Black Series model – more power and less weight – and uses the same 6.2 litre V8 as the regular SLS but with the wick turned up to 622 horses from the regular, but hardly wanting, 583 thanks to a new air intake, cams, boost tweaks and better cooling. The oily tweaks for more power – and some weight shedding (70kg) – means the SLS Black can get to 62mph in 3.6 seconds – 0.2 seconds quicker than the regular SLS – and top out at 196mph (due to the extra downforce).

Dacia Duster SUV: Mark Webber goes Desert Driving (video)

We have video of Red Bull’s Mark Webber playing with the new Dacia Duster in the Desert Dunes of Oman. But it’s not the £9k Duster FWD that holds the most appeal, but the 4WD version that starts from £10,995, even if it does come with steel wheels and a very basic spec. At that sort of price it looks like a real bargain; the perfect ‘DoFor’ car for anyone who lives anywhere near anything muddy or susceptible to snow.

Jaguar F-Type to get manual gearbox

Jaguar’s Adrian Hallmark has revealed that Jaguar’s new manual gearbox will be heading in to the new F-Type. They’ve gone because the slush boxes of old have been replaced by new, double clutch boxes that actually give better performance and better economy than a driver with a left foot in action. But still, the yearning for the control and feel of a manual ‘box remains at the core of the driving experience.

Caterham Seven Supersport R (2012) first pictures

It's certainly been a busy week for Caterham. Just a few days ago the company announced its partnership with Renault to create a new range of Alpine sports cars, and now the Surrey-based outfit has gone back its roots to develop an even more hardcore version of the Seven Supersport. Called the Caterham Seven Supersport R, the lightweight special gets an engine capacity increase and power bump over the regular car, but carries over its racing car-derived suspension.

Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series (2012) first pictures

We’d be most surprised if you rejected the Mercedes SLS AMG for being too slow and too subtle, but if you crave a few racecar touches for your gullwing supercar then Mercedes will oblige with this: the SLS AMG Black Series. Like the ‘BS’ models that’ve gone before, the SLS Black employs a weight reduction, ramped-up power and better aerodynamics to give more extreme looks and performance. Read on for the full spec of a Mercedes with more power than a McLaren 12C Spider.

GM stops works on electric version of Opel Adam

Work has stopped on a planned electric version of the Opel Adam minicar due to high costs. The project had progressed to the development of a working car using technology from the upcoming Chevrolet Spark EV minicar. "It was a business decision," said Dieter Metz, Opel's chief engineer for the Adam.

Sandy's toll: 15,000 cars and counting

The damage tally from Superstorm Sandy continues to roll in. The latest estimate is that Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda plan to scrap 15,000 new cars damaged. The National Automotive Dealers Association says that number could grow to 200,000 cars.

Apple and Ferrari—What could be better?

Recently a press release popped into my email (remember when we used to say “came across my desk”?) that said Eddy Cue, Apple's head of Internet software and services, has joined Ferrari's board of directors. The statement said while on the board Cue, a Ferrari owner, will “aid with his experience in Internet-based commerce.” My two cents: It's a brilliant move for both parties, and the ramifications could be huge. Think about it: Does this mean Apple wants to make stuff for cars?

The Boss gets booted from 2014 Ford Mustang

The track-ready Boss 302package for the Ford Mustang will not be on the options list for the 2014 model, according to the order guide sent to Ford dealers. The 2014 Ford Mustang will be the last of the fifth generation of the car. A redesign for the 2015 model is expected to arrive in early 2014, using a new rear-drive platform that includes an independent rear suspension and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine option.

Car Design China Award Winners at Umeå

CDN 中国汽车设计大赛获奖选手在 Umeå Two of the Car Design China Award 2012 winners won the fantastic prize of a two-week fully funded placement at Sweden's Umeå Institute of Design to mix with like-minded young designers and learn new skills with some of the latest technology available. We spoke to Umeå's Programme Director for Transportation Design Education Demian Horst to find out how Fang Siyuan of Zhengzhou University of Light Industry and Huang Hongliang of Huazhong University of Science and Technology got on. After arriving on 21 September the two students joined up with the course's 20 international students – including two Chinese students – in the studio before undertaking their first task, which was to join both transport classes in a sketch workshop with BMWDesignworksUSA designer and Umeå alumnus Tommy Forsgren.

Range Rover Evoque Desert Warrior 3

The British Excite Rally Raid Team has taken delivery of the new Range Rover Evoque based Desert Warrior 3 off-road race car. Under the skin, the Evoque is not exactly a Land Rover but gets its power from a 3.0 litre BMW twin-turbo diesel with 275bhp (or 350bhp when unrestricted) and 479lb/ft of torque which runs through a six-speed ZF sequential ‘box. The chassis of the Desert Warrior 3 is completely bespoke and made from T45 tubes and all designed in-house and tested over the last three Dakars.

Qoros: A new Chinese car brand to hit Europe in 2013

Qoros – a joint venture between Chery and Israel Corporation – will launch an offensive on the European car market at Geneva 2013. The Chinese car market is huge, but most Chinese car makers are all but unknown outside China. But that could change with the launch of a range of Qoros cars in Europe, with the first reveal scheduled for the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

BMW M6 Gran Coupe – undisguised

We have a shot of the new BMW M6 Grand Coupe taken at a private launch event in Germany ahead of a debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. You may ask, quite reasonably  what’s the point of the BMW M6 Gran Coupe? After all, there’s a proper coupe in the regular BMW M6, and if you want four doors then the choice must be the BMW M5.