03 Bombardier 200 Rally Head Pipe on 2040-parts.com

Listen: Upcoming Ford Focus ST to employ sound symposer

While BMW employs a digitally sanitized/perfected sound file to give M5 owners the proper sense of aggro urgency when motoring at pace, Porsche went a little more organic with its employment of a sound symposer to feed the 911's flat-six growl into the cabin of the extra-refined 991. Essentially, the sound symposer is an electrically controlled diaphragm in a tuned sound tube that brings the proper engine noises into the passenger compartment. It can be opened and closed by the car's onboard electronics to offer snarl when you want it and serenity when you don't.

Fiat 500C – the reveal happens

As we told you on Saturday, Fiat intended unveiling the new convertible 500 - The Fiat 500C – today, and here we have the first official images of the car. As we expected, the 500C gets a full-length canvas roof, with the C pillars staying in place to keep the cost down and add strength. But it seems we were wrong on its action – it’s going to be electric.

Porsche unveils 2015 911 Targa

Porsche has given its latest 911 Targa a heavy dose of retro appeal through the adoption of a series of classic styling cues that hark back to that of the original model launched in 1965. Unveiled at the Detroit auto show, the new 911 Targa is based around the same aluminium bodyshell and four-wheel drive mechanical package as the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, alongside which it will be produced at Porsche's Zuffenhausen factory on the outskirts of Stuttgart, Germany. Among the traditional styling elements Porsche's design boss Michael Mauer has chosen to resurrect on the new car is a fixed B-pillar hoop, or Targa bar as it has come to be known over the years.