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Volkswagen hits back, weighs making a bid for Porsche

Volkswagen is considering an audacious reverse-takeover bid for its majority shareholder, Porsche, in a twist in the drawn-out struggle for control between the two German carmakers. The Volkswagen Group's supervisory board is said to be weighing the possibility of purchasing Porsche AG, in a move that would relieve its holding company, Porsche SE, of massive debt that industry analysts suggest the company may not be able to fund should the world's financial crisis drag on well into 2010--a scenario put forward this week by the International Monetary Fund. The secret plan emerged as shareholders were set to convene at Volkswagen's annual meeting on Thursday, and it comes after Porsche revealed that it is carrying some 9 billion euros ($11.73 billion) in debt, most of it owing to interest on loans taken out to purchase its 50.8 percent stake in VW.

Dramatic CCTV footage shows consequences of tyre failure

AS A PART of October's Tyre Safety Month initiative the Highways Agency have released dramatic footage of the consequences of tyre failure. In the clip, viewable on the Highways Agency YouTube channel, motorway cameras capture the moment a front tyre explodes on a large lorry, sending it out of control and into the central reservation in a spectacular crash. Further clips show the chaos caused when all three lanes of a motorway are closed to retrieve tyre debris, and the eye-watering £2 million cost of a lorry fire caused by tyre failure results in all six lanes of a motorway being shut for hours.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer specs and prices – costs from £22,195

The new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (pictured) specs and prices BMW’s foray in to the world of front wheel drive MPVs arrived at the Geneva Motor Show as the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, BMW’s answer to the Mercedes B Class. Sitting on the same platform as the new MINI, the Active Tourer will come with FWD as default but will be available with 4WD too and in a choice of four trim levels – SE, Luxury, Sport and M Sport. Engine choices at launch are limited, with the just the 1.5 litre three-cylinder with 134bhp in the 218i and the 2.0 litre diesel with 148bhp available in the 218d.