Lamborghini 'their choice' says Webb

IT WILL be up to pensioners whether they spend their retirement pot on a Lamborghini, Pensions Minister Steve Webb said as he defended a relaxation of rules announced in the Budget. Critics have warned that allowing pensioners to draw down the cash rather than being forced to buy an annuity will result in some blowing the fund and relying solely on state help. The luxury Italian sport cars sell for six-figure sums.

Audi SQ5 costs £43,870 in UK

The diesel Audi ‘RS’ Q5 – the Audi SQ5 – with 309bhp and 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds, will cost £43,870 when it arrives in the UK in spring 2013. That means Audi’s 3.0 litre V6 BiTurbo TDI with a healthy 309bhp and 479lb/ft of torque, enough to deliver the SQ5 to 62mph in 5.1 seconds, on to a top speed of 155mph and deliver an official economy figure (although you’ll never get it) of over 40mpg. The power goes through an eight-speed tiptronic ‘box to all four wheels and you get a sound actuator in the exhaust to give you a non-diesely roar. Audi has also dropped the suspension on the SQ5 by 30mm compared to the regular Q5 S Line for a more sporty manner, and if you opt for Audi’s Drive Select Adaptive Dynamics you’ll also get  Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Efficiency modes (and an Individual mode too if you opt for HDD SatNav as well) which alter the steering, transmission, throttle and even the exhaust actuator to suit.

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.