1955 Chevrolet Park Light Assembles on 2040-parts.com

France mandates that drivers carry Breathalyzer-like test kits

As Orson Welles reminds us above, French champagne has always been celebrated for its excellence. And fermented grape products are as indelible a signifier of Gallic culture as fine cheese, very fast trains and the hydropneumatic suspension. But the enjoyment of a tipple involves responsibility, something that alcohol consumption isn't always conducive to.

GreenGT H2 completes first laps ahead of 2013 Le Mans

Are we entering the era of the eco-friendly racing car? French outfit GreenGT could be spearheading the push, with the announcement its new H2 hydrogen racing car has completed its first successful racing laps testing at the Magny-Cours circuit in France. The wacky-looking hydrogen hybrid racing car will compete in the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race, filling the ‘experimental competitor’ pit garage vacated by the radical-looking 2012 Nissan DeltaWing.

BMW set to go front-wheel drive

BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer has confirmed that the German carmaker will introduce a new front-wheel-drive entry-level model positioned and priced below the existing 1-series as part of plans to help increase part sharing and to bolster the potential for production savings between the BMW and Mini brands, thus bringing an end to the era of rear- and four-wheel-drive-only BMW models. Speaking to AutoWeek at the Geneva motor show, Reithofer said internal BMW studies revealed that despite the downturn in the world's economy, there was continued demand for what he described as "premium vehicles" in the small-car class, before officially acknowledging plans that will see BMW produce a rival to the recently unveiled Audi A1 and a new Smart Forfour presently under development at Mercedes-Benz. "We will be extending the BMW and Mini brands into the small-car segment with new models and variants," he said.