Exhaust Pipe Silencer Montesa Cota 349, New. on 2040-parts.com

Changes at Nissan Design

Nissan yesterday announced a series of changes within its higher-level design structure - with VPs responsible for design in Europe and America effectively swapping roles. Alfonso Albaisa, who became VP of Design at Nissan Design Europe's London-based studio in 2007, will be going back to Nissan Design America's San Diego studio as VP of Design. It marks a return to the West Coast for Albaisa, who originally joined Nissan in 1988.

Aston Martin dealer toasts record March

ASTON MARTIN Works is raising a glass this month after a record March that saw its best monthly sales results yet. The special showroom for the iconic British firm saw the extreme V12 Vantage S and the extremely beautiful Vanquish Volante lead the way in sales, with well-to-do buyers racing to place orders for the earliest deliveries of the two newest Astons. Based at the historic home of Aston Martin in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, Aston Martin Works has for almost 60 years been home to either the factory or, more recently, the brand’s specialist heritage, restoration and servicing operations.

Volvo V40 teased again ahead of Geneva [w/video]

Volvo has released an unusual cartoon teaser video for its new five-door V40, together with an additional image. The animated video features a flock of birds perching on power lines before all but one fly off. Being left on its own to dance on the lines, before fading to black with the words 'Be One of a Kind' appearing before advertising the car's imminent arrival.  Meanwhile the image (left), showing the car in silhouette, gives little away about the design, unlike Volvo's first sneak peek (right), released in December last year.