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Concept Car of the Week: Italdesign Columbus (1992)

Following the success of large MPVs such as the Renault Espace and Chrysler Voyager, the idea of adding luxury to the already spacious interior seemed like a natural step forward in the early nineties. A few would remember the De la Chapelle Parcours, a sort of hyper-luxurious Espace powered by a 326bhp V8 from Mercedes. However, they only sold one.

Rolls Royce 102EX: Electric Phantom revealed

Electric Rolls Royce Phantom Rolls Royce has taken the wraps of its experimental electric Phantom at  Geneva – Rolls Royce 102EX –  and they certainly haven’t done things by halves. Rolls Royce engineers have taken the regular engine out of the Phantom and replaced it with a pair of electric motors rated at 145 kWh and possibly the biggest lithium-ion battery bank on four wheels. The Phantom EV uses five lithium-cobalt-manganese-oxide (or NCM) pouch cells which form the shape of the engine and live under the bonnet.

Infiniti opening in Brazil in 2014

Nissan’s answer to Lexus, Infiniti, is on a bit of quest to sell its premium cars in every market that can afford them and will open in Brazil in 2014. Infiniti started out as Nissan’s answer to the success of Lexus in North America by launching a range of ‘Premium’ Nissans in the U.S. in 1989, since when it has expanded to Canada, the Middle East, Taiwan, Korea, Russia, China and, in 2008, the UK and Europe.