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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.

Skoda launch EIGHT Black Edition models – CitiGo, Fabia, Roomster, Rapid, Octavia, Superb & Yeti

The Skoda Octavia Black Edition – just one of 8 new Skoda Black Edition Skoda’s marketing department has had a bit of a brainstorm and decided what the UK needs – really, really needs – is a Black Edition of every car in the Skoda range with extra equipment and styling tweaks. So that’s what they’ve done. So we get the option  of a ‘Black Edition’ of every car in Skoda’s UK range suddenly with an extra option to punt and all with prices that offer great value compared to speccing a regular model up to the same level.

Toyota FT-86 II: Now Toyota mean it. Really

Toyota FT-86 II at Geneva Toyota has been threatening to produce an affordable sports car for quite a while. And when we first saw the Toyota FT-86 Concept at the end of 2009 (and in the flesh at Goodwood last summer) we’d expected to see it launch this year. Despite that expectation, we discovered in January that Toyota were actually taking a different concept to Geneva – the Toyota FT-86 II – dashing any hopes of the FT-86 in any shape or form hitting the road this year.