Prestolite 128007 Spark Plug Wire on 2040-parts.com

Show Preview: Frankfurt motor show 2011

The biannual Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung, or the Frankfurt motor show, is again due to take place this September, swapping places with its sister show in Paris. One of the world's largest motor shows – certainly physically – the IAA is held at Frankfurt's Messe complex, and in recent years has been themed, with the last event in 2009 carrying the theme of ‘electrification', with virtually every manufacturer revealing a vehicle using the latest battery technology. Fittingly, the most notable unveil at that show was the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept, which was easily the most innovative and original car of 2009.

Peugeot 408 GT Coupe planned for 2016

Peugeot 408 GT Coupe planned for 2016 based on the 308 (pictured) The market for smaller four-door coupes has grown in recent years, and it looks like the Mercedes CLA – the four-door coupe version of the Mercedes A-Class – is a runaway success. That seems to have given Peugeot the idea that it should revive the ’40-something’ badge a couple of years after they dropped the 407 and 607 in favour of the 508 and build a new coupe, this time a four-door. The Peugeot 407 was a larger two-door coupe – the not quite as convincing update for the very good 406 coupe – which had an old-world coupe feel and was very much a niche product in Peugeot’s range.

Driving BMW's three-cylinder prototype

One of the motoren in the titular Bayerische Motoren Werkeis about to get smaller. How small, you ask? The three-cylinder in the cherry-red hatchback shown above is in fact one of BMW's legendary inline-sixes, albeit chopped in half with the proverbial Sawzall.