07 08 09 Mazda 3 Automatic Transmission 2.0l 4 Spd on 2040-parts.com

Could Michelin’s Active Wheel truly transform the car?

Cars today have evolved and been refined to an extraordinary degree, but carmakers – and car designers – are still always looking for ‘the next big thing'. Yet despite a myriad of recent technical innovations, ask the man on the street what is the problem with cars of today, and he'll likely reply along the lines of "they all look the same". Mass production processes, packaging requirements and safety and regulatory constraints are just a few of the reasons why it is hard to make a car that looks truly different.

Citroën DS Wild Rubis concept

The Citroën DS Wild Rubis concept is the French manufacturer's foray into the premium SUV market, to be shown at the Shanghai auto show next Saturday. At 4,700mm long it's slightly larger than a BMW X3 or Audi Q5, with a particularly generous wheelbase of 2,900mm, presumably to offer the rear passengers a little more space - major consideration in China. It was designed in the DS studio in France, something the company is keen to promote given China's desire for chic European luxury goods.

Mercedes Vision S500 plug-in Hybrid Concept at Frankfurt

The Mercedes S500 Hybrid Plug-In will show at Frankfurt Update: Mercedes has now confirmed our S500 Hybrid story and we have images of the S500 hybrid at the bottom of the page The S500 Vision will feature a V6 petrol engine paired with a 10kw lithium-ion battery pack and a 44kw motor. This combination will allow the hybrid Mercedes to travel over 18 miles on battery power alone. When the battery discharges the electric motor will power up the petrol engine.