3,000bhp supercar selection set for Birmingham

THE NEW age of efficiency appears not to be dampening manufacturers’ desire to build high-performance flagship cars, with 3,000bhp worth of shiny new models set to descend on Birmingham’s Performance Car Show in January. Among the headliners are the Jaguar XKR-S GT, the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, McLaren 12C Sprint and Aston Martin Vanquish. The Ferrari steals the outright performance headlines, with 0-62mph dispatched in just three seconds and 100mph disappearing in only 6.5 seconds, courtesy of a melodious 6.3-litre V12 engine under the long bonnet.

Ford's automotive assembly line celebrates 100th anniversary

A mere century ago, on Oct. 7, 1913, Henry Ford rigged up a rope tow to get Model T chassis across the floor of his Highland Park assembly plant -- essentially winching cars across the factory floor and adding a set schedule of parts at certain intervals. The implementation may have been a bit primitive, but Ford was on the cusp something big: applying the concepts of the moving assembly line to the complicated, costly process of automobile production.

New Toyota Aygo price & spec – costs from £8,595, and even less if you’re quick

The new Toyota Aygo (pictured) on sale 1 July 2014 The new Toyota Aygo – Toyota’s take on the Citroen C1 / Peugeot 108 – arrived at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and probably looks the most credible of the three. And now it’s on sale. Starting price for the new Aygo is a reasonable £8,595 for the Aygo X 3-door with a 5-speed manual ‘box, rising to £12,345 for the Aygo x-clusiv 3-door with x-shift auto ‘box.