F684972 Starboard Mount Cover, 1991 Force 50 Hp on 2040-parts.com

Nissan launches Platinum Edition X-TRAIL

Nissan launches X-TRAIL Platinum Edition with lots of toys Nissan launches the X-Trail Platinum Edition with every option box already ticked. Costs from £29,180. The Nissan X-TRAIL is a perfectly good example of an on-road SUV, much in the style of the Freelander 2.

Skoda Yeti facelift for 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Skoda will debut a facelifted Yeti compact SUV at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. This doesn’t exactly sound like major news, but it does represent potentially dangerous ground for the Czech brand: the Yeti is one the best-loved cars on sale in the UK –　so the task of refreshing it can’t have been an easy one. Nonetheless, Skoda has not only chosen to give the Yeti a makeover, it will also offer the car in two distinct variants for the first time – one aimed at urban drivers and the other at more adventurous types.

Porsche 918 Spyder laps Nurburgring in under 7 minutes

The Porsche 918 Spyder (pictured) laps the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes When the McLaren P1 was first revealed, Ron Dennis told us it would lap the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes. But it seems the best the McLaren P1 has managed so far is a 7:04, so it’s no surprise McLaren hasn’t officially declared its time as they probably knew it wasn’t enough, but also knew that Porsche has managed to take the new 918 Spyder round the ‘Ring in just 6:57s. That 6:57 by the Porsche 918 Spyder isn’t quite as quick as the Radical, but as the Radical has only single type approval, Porsche are justifiably claiming the 918 Spyder’s time as the quickest by a proper production car, beating the previous record of 7:11s set by the Gumpert Apollo.