1937 Packard 115-120 Cowel Vent Flap. on 2040-parts.com

Ford Escape/Kuga

When we spoke with J Mays about the Vertrek concept car at the 2011 NAIAS in Detroit, he told us "this is about 85 per-cent as the production car will look". On viewing these pictures of the new generation Ford Kuga/Escape, it's clear Ford's chief designer was true to his word. It's significant for being the first true product of the company's ‘One Ford' strategy, which harmonizes the American, European and Asian operations, developing singular products for the global market.

2012 Honda Insight gets a facelift and emits 96g/km

2012 Honda Insight We’re still not convinced that Honda has its heart in the Insight Hybrid, but they have no choice other than to present some semblance of competition to the stranglehold Toyota has developed in the hybrid market. So in an effort to make it more appealing, the unconvincing 2012 Honda Insight gets a bit of a facelift and, perhaps more appealingly for many, a cut in emissions to under the magic 100g/km. Titivations to the Insight for 2012 include a new front grill and bumper – just so existing Insight owners can feel fed up at driving the ‘old’ Insight – and a smaller spoiler and wiper at the back for better visibility.

BMW Concept X5 eDrive (2013) plug-in hybrid at Frankfurt motor show

Sharing the stage with the BMW i3 at the Frankfurt motor show is the BMW Concept X5 eDrive. The plug-in hybrid X5 is set to re-write the SUV rulebook with its four-cylinder petrol-electric drivetrain producing claimed figures of less than 90g/km of CO2 and a tree-hugging 74.3mpg, smashing the Lexus RX450h which produces 145g/km and 44.8mpg. What’s more, it’s better than the most efficient 3-series currently on sale, and far more frugal than the V8-powered BMW X6 Active Hybrid that was axed in late 2011.