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Porsche buys Nardo for high-speed tests

Porsche has announced it is to take ownership of the famous Nardo Proving Ground in southern Italy. The company's engineering consultancy wing, the Porsche Engineering Group, will assume ownership as of May 2012. Nardo is currently owned by Italian firm Prototipo SpA.  No fee has been disclosed by either party.

Ford Escort returns – for China: Shanghai Motor Show

The Ford Escort Concept has been built by Ford with the aim of taking a sizeable chunk of China’s compact saloon market – estimated at 5.5 million sales a year – and looks remarkably production viable and far from ‘budget’. Escort is a badge China knows – there are plenty of old Escorts floating around Chinese roads – so it’s a sensible move by Ford to revive a badge that already resonates as a compact, affordable saloon with Chinese car buyers. This new Escort gets a proper version of Ford’s latest design language – including the Aston Martin grill – and has good lines and strong detail including jeweled headlights with the lucky Chinese ’8′ discernible ; it looks entirely cohesive and nothing like a Focus with a boot grafted on.

Peugeot 208 Style arrives – costs from £13,445

Peugeot 208 Style arrives It’s nearly two years since the new Peugeot 208 started arriving in the UK, and it’s a decent little car with plenty of options and a sensible price tag. But the newness of the 208 is starting to wear off a little, so Peugeot are aiming to put some pep in to sales and some footfall in to showrooms with a new special edition 208 – the Peugeot 208 Style. Based on the best-selling 208 Active trim, the 208 Style comes with a panoramic glass roof, SatNav, parking sensors and chrome door mirrors, with the interior getting new seat trim.