Mack Truck Turbo on 2040-parts.com

Public urged to give view on A9 plan

THE PUBLIC have been urged to have their say on the design of the most expensive road project in Scotland's history. The £3 billion upgrade of the A9, which runs from central Scotland to the north coast, to full dual carriageway will cost more than the M74 completion, the new Forth road bridge and the Aberdeen bypass combined. The first public displays setting out the logistical and environmental impact of the first £40 million section of the upgrade, from Kincraig to Dalraddy in the Highlands, will be unveiled this month.

Mercedes B55 (2011) - a ballistic V8 B-class

Mercedes' tuning arm AMG has not yet ventured into sensible B-class territory, but a bunch of Merc trainees in Germany has come up with this: the B55. It's a V8-powered B-class, complete with AMG-spec 383bhp 5.5-litre V8 mounted up front and driving an old W210 E-class rear axle. Sounds like a promising skunkworks special, derived from an old B200 CDI hack that was kicking about the training centre.

Fiat 500C Abarth coming?

It looks like Fiat are planning an Abarth version of the 500C for 2010 But the best comparison to the Fiat 500 on the market is the MINI. Fiat are obviously taking a leaf out of the MINI handbook of marketing by throwing special editions like the Fiat 500 Abarth Cometizione on to the market. And now it looks as if they’re following the MINI route by introducing a hot convertible – The Fiat 500C Abarth.