New Valeo Auxiliary Fan, 12 801 550 on 2040-parts.com

Volkswagen & Suzuki – it’s handbags at dawn

Volkswagen Suzuki Partnership - things aren't exactly rosy Back in 2009 Volkswagen invested a rather large chunk of change (around €2 billion) in Suzuki in exchange for a 20% stake in the Japanese car maker, and there were big hopes for advantages for both parties. Volkswagen were looking for a quick-fix route to the burgeoning car market in India, where Suzuki were doing very well, with sales in India last year of 1.13 million cars – almost half its production – in comparison to VW’s paltry sales of just 53,000. In return, Suzuki were expecting to get a quick route to cutting-edge hybrid and electric tech for their range, and access to VW’s engines.

Aston Martin AM310 makes a quiet debut at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este

The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is more than a celebration of classic automotive design. It's also a great opportunity to view cutting-edge concept vehicles. This year's event saw the debut of the BMW Zagato coupe concept, and the Alfa Romeo 4C concept took home the concours' coveted “Design Award for Concept Cars & Prototypes.” You'd never know it based on the official coverage (or lack thereof), but Aston Martin also unveiled a concept at the concours.

Miko's high performance material with an ecological edge

Italian company Miko specializes in the development and production of Dinamica, a high quality ecological microfiber that can be used for anything from car door panels or upholstery to fashion accessories. The faux suede material is produced from a combination of recycled polyester and polyurethane fibers, and is also 100 percent recyclable at the end of its lifecycle. Lorenzo Terraneo, CEO of Miko, says: "Our priority has always been to invest in the research and development of recycled and eco-compatible materials with special characteristics that go far beyond existing qualitative standards." It is a testament to Terraneo's commitment that his company achieved its early aspirations and eco credentials long before concern for the environment and the reduction of carbon emissions was high on the political agenda or prevalent in the public conscience.