David Clark on 2040-parts.com

Mazda Minagi Concept – Mazda CX-5 – leaks ahead of Geneva

The Mazda Minagi Concept - will become the Mazda CX-5 The Mazda Minagi Concept is a compact SUV concept Mazda are planning on taking to Geneva in March. Fortunately, the name won’t stick when the Minagi goes in to production. Instead, this will be the Mazda CX-5. With a front end that pays homage to the Mazda Shinari Concept (the concept that points the way to the Mazda RX-9) and a back end that seems to find inspiration in the Hyundai ix35, the Minagi is Mazda’s answer to the compact SUVs from Ford, Hyundai, Audi and VW.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 leaked

Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 If you know anything at all about Lamborghini’s, it won’t take too long to work out that this will be a 550hp V10, but with 2-wheel drive instead of the 4-wheel drive we ‘ve got used to in recent years. So think of this as a hardcore drivers Gallardo – a Superleggera. Dropping the 4WD will shed a chunk of weight, and change the dynamic of the car from the LP560-4.

Audi digs at Mercedes with the help of a pair of Spocks (video)

Audi likes nothing more than a bit of ‘celebrity’ kudos, which is why you’ll find endless celebs (and royalty) running round in Audis thanks to ‘enhanced’ lease deals and freebie cars. But it’s not just individual celebs that Audi loves, they also love a blockbuster film or two, which is why you’ll also see Tony Stark running around in a car with four rings in Iron Man 3 and, although there aren’t many Audis in space (or on the Enterprise), you’ll find Audi pitching in for a bit of PR on the back of the new Star Trek film – Star Trek Into Darkness. Audi has enlisted the services of Mr Spock in the guise of the original (Leonard Nimoy) and the new (Zachary Quinto) to highlight the benefits of driving an Audi, and getting a dig in at Mercedes in the process.