1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Driverside Mirrow on 2040-parts.com

New Honda CEO to focus on R&D

Takanobu Ito, newly named as the next president and CEO of Honda Motor Co., will redouble the company's focus on research as it grapples with a global market meltdown. Honda presidents traditionally cut their teeth at the automaker's cherished development subsidiary, Honda R&D Co. Ltd.

2012 Fiat Panda starts at £8,900

The new Fiat Panda starts at under £9k The 2012 Fiat Panda will cost from £8,900 for the POP 1.2 8v 69 CV, rising to £12,250 for the Panda Lounge 1.3 MultiJet 75 CV in the UK. The 2012 Fiat Panda was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last Autumn, and looks as though it’s going to continue the Panda tradition of simple motoring at affordable prices with the news that the starting point for the new Panda will be £8,900 for the entry-level Panda POP 1.2 8v 69 CV. Even the top-of-the-range Panda Lounge 1.3 MultiJet 75 CV comes in at a not too unreasonable £12,250, with another eight models in between the two extremes offering variations of trim and engines to suit sensible urbam motoring.

Mini John Cooper Works GP (2012) first official pictures

Mini has unveiled the new top-dog Mini John Cooper Works GP - a limited edition, very fast, very expensive Mini hot hatch. Just 2000 Mini GP editions will be built, with first sales due for late 2012. Yes, it's a signal that current generation Mini is approaching its wind-down period ahead of the all-new, third-generation Mini models due to land from 2014.