Mazdaspeed Rotary Engine Dry Sump With Chips Motorsports 20mm Upgrade on 2040-parts.com

GM cancels Opel Vauxhall sale to Magna

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 03 November 2009 22:59 General Motors tonight surprised the world by pulling its proposed sale of its European division – Opel and Vauxhall – to Magna. In a dramatic U-turn, Detroit said 'an improving business environment for GM over the past few months' had made it reappraise its spin-off plans.The 11th hour switch means that GM will still retain full ownership of Opel and Vauxhall, which will now 'be restructured in earnest'. Canadian parts giant Magna had won the race to buy a controlling stake in GM Europe, as a newly relaunched Detroit sought to shore up its finances.

VW E-Bugster – it’s the electric love-child of a Beetle and a Porsche 356

VW E-Bugster Volkswagen has revealed the VW E-Bugster at the Detroit Auto Show, a squashed VW Beetle with big wheels and the electric motor from the Golf EV. Maybe it’s early and our eyes and brains aren’t in gear yet. But the VW E-Bugster – an electric customised VW Beetle – looks like it’s a cross between a California surfin’ chopped Beetle and a Porsche 356.

KTM X-Bow – want a drive?

KTM X-Bow 'Drive Orange' track days at Brands Hatch and Silverstone KTM is an Austrian Motor Cycle manufacturer which has woken up to the possibilities of making a four-wheeled creation, and has been busy building and refining the X-Bow in collaboration with Dallara and Audi. Featuring a 237bhp, 2.0 litre Audi  TFSi unit – and coming in at a bit under £50,000 for the street version – its low weight (790kg) gives it supercar acceleration of around 3.7 second 0-60mph. There is even talk of a 380bhp version, which will put it up there with the Ariel Atom V8 we reported on recently.