02 Yamaha Raptor 660 Subframe on 2040-parts.com

New car sales soar to 10-year high

NEW CAR sales soared in March, with the new 14 number plate helping registrations reach their highest monthly total for 10 years. A total of 464,824 new cars were registered last month - a rise of 17.7% on the March 2013 figure and the best since 466,954 were registered in March 2004, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The March 2014 and March 2004 figures represent the best two months for new sales since 1999 when the motor industry abandoned the August once-a-year number plate change in favour of twice-a-year changes in March and September.

Lamborghini LP650-4 Roadster – in the wild

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster at a motor event in the US We first got details on the new Lamborghini LP650-4 Roadster back in February, and Lamborghini subsequently issued a set of pictures to show it was real. But it was a bit of a surprise to see a real one turn up at a Lamborghini event in the US. Sporting the same 650bhp as the Lamborghini Reventon, the LP650-4 Roadster is the last of the line of open-topped Murcielagos (apart from the Reventon Roadster – which as there will only be 9 doesn’t really count), and is the successor to the LP640 Roadster.

Vauxhall & Opel – no plant closures before 2014

Will the new Mokka help GM in Europe Despite reports that GM Europe are planning closures at Vauxhall and Opel, GM boss says there will be no closures before 2014. GM in Europe are not having an easy time of things, with both Vauxhall and Opel struggling for sales as the car market in Europe polarises and the mainstream car makers struggle. GM have made some moves to consolidate their European operation with a co-operation agreement with Peugeot Citroen, but that deal has more of a sticking plaster feel to it than a real way to fix the issues of over-production in a difficult European market.