02-06 Nissan Altima 2.5 S Se Flat Matte Black Blackout Blacked Out Emblem Logo on 2040-parts.com

Volvo S60 DRIVe & V60 DRIVe launch

The Volvo V60 DRIVe This week we’re out playing with a Volvo DRIVe model, although our car is the S40 DRIVe. DRIVe models are Volvo’s push at all things green (or all things blue if you’re German) and take a regular Volvo and eco the bejesus out of it with stuff like stop-start, low rolling resistance tyres and the plethora of eco-toys car makers use to make the headline economy and emissions unbelievable. The result is a Volvo that drives pretty much the same as any Volvo but which can – as long as you play the eco-driving game – run almost on fresh air, and because cars like this are designed to hit emissions targets on official cycles, they’re also good on stuff like VED and BIK. And if the S40 DRIVe we’ve got this week is anything to go by, you can still drive with enthusiasm and enjoy it as long as you don’t mind the economy suffering.

MINI Superleggera Vision concept unveiled

Doesn’t this look pretty special? It’s the MINI Superleggera Vision concept – a modern interpretation of the classic open-top two-seater created by MINI and Italian design house Touring Superleggera. It was unveiled on the shores of Lake Como at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2014 and is purely a concept car for now, but it could well influence future members of an expanded MINI family.

New car sales accelerate again

NEW CAR SALES could be back to pre-recession levels by the end of this year after a good start to 2014. Latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show there were 176,820 new vehicles registered in April - an 8.2% rise on the same month last year. Last month's figure took the total for the year so far to 864,942 - a 12.5% increase on the first four months of 2013.