Gmb 231-0188 Universal Joint on 2040-parts.com

Ford to host Octane Academy for action-sports junkies

Ford is making a push for younger customers with its sponsorship of extreme-sport and action-sport events. Now, the automaker wants to bring that experience to some select average Joes. Beginning in November, Ford will host an action-sports program called Octane Academy.

Design Review: Audi Nuvolari quattro concept

Hot on the heels of the Pikes Peak study at Detroit in January, Audi today unveiled the Nuvolari quattro four-wheel drive concept vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show. In contrast to the Pikes Peak crossover SUV concept, with the Nuvolari, Audi's designers have created a classic, high-powered 2+2 GT coupe.   It's certainly powerful: a 5.0-litre V10 biturbo with FSI direct fuel injection with 600ps and a 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds means it's the most powerful roadgoing Audi engine ever developed.

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake on the way

Mercedes’ design boss Gordon Wagener has revealed to WhatCar that they are planning to go exactly the same route with the CLA as they did with the CLS, and create a coupe estate. The CLS Shooting Brake (pictured below) has been very well received, and with much of the world downsizing its cars a CLA Estate is a very sensible way to go, offering all the good design elements of the CLA – which already looks like a CLS on a boil wash – in a car that has more practicality. Wagener gave no idea of time scale for the CLA Shooting Brake, but with the first CLAs expected to hit customers in June it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a concept CLA Shooting Brake arrive by the time of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September before going on sale in 2014.