Polaris Driven Clutch 1322973 on 2040-parts.com

Concept Car of the Week: Italdesign Machimoto (1986)

The Machimoto might look and sound like a Japanese concept, but it was developed in Europe in the Turin-based Italdesign studio, and was based on a Volkswagen Golf GTI platform. The name actually derives from MACHIna (car in Italian) and MOTOciclo (motorcycle) as the perfect hybrid between the worlds of two- and four-wheelers. Unveiled on its home turf at the Turin motor show in 1986, it landed like a UFO, shocking both the public and the press.

VW Eos BlueMotion Technology revealed

The VW Eos Bluemotion launches in the UK A New Year, but still VW are rolling out new BlueMotion Models. This time on the Eos. The usual tweaks apply to give the Eos its BlueMotion status – regenerative braking, start-stop, hill-hold and a gear change light – but this is the first time (unless we’ve missed something along the way) that VW has utilised its BlueMotion toys on a petrol engine.

Mini Superleggera Vision Concept – a very different MINi Concept – at Villa D’Este

The Mini Superleggera Vision Concept (pictured) is a Villa D’Este special We’ve had our fill of VW Group concepts for Worthersee – like the Skoda CitiJet, Yeti XTreme and Audi A3 Clubsport - this last week, but now we’ve got a concept from MINI that isn’t just the usual slightly left-field take on a regular MINI, but a real original to grab our interest – the Mini Superleggera Vision Concept – and it’s heading to Villa D’Este. Built in collaboration with Touring Superleggera – which has built stunning concepts like the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante - the new MINI is a retro-looking small roadster with lots of historic design cues but with an EV powertrain under its clothes. There’s a fin on the back that looks like a Jaguar D Type, a pair of swage lines down the side, a long bonnet, a back end that has a hint of Aston Martin and even Union Jacks in the tail lights.