1987 35hp Mercury Outboard Lower Gear Unit on 2040-parts.com

Dodge Dart (2012) - first pictures of the American Alfa

Dodge is reviving a badge from the 1960s for its new Dart compact car - and it's based on Alfa Romeo underpinnings. The new 2012 Dodge Dart borrows the Alfa Romeo Giulietta architecture, available within the group now that Chrysler is part of the Fiat group. Dodge dubs its the new Compact US Wide (CUSW) platform, and we'll see this rolled out across the group.

Videos: Chris Bangle shares his views on design and the future of car design

Chris Bangle is a man that needs no introduction on these pages. Both revered and castigated, Bangle's work has undoubtedly been influential for a generation of designers. His unconventional practices – employed at a time when design was still largely segregated from other departments during the development process – yielded many avantgarde and contentious designs, but Bangle's fundamental understanding of the design process, creative vision and desire for change can never be cast in doubt. While Bangle shares his views on the future of the car in the video to the right, the video to the left provides an insight into the former BMW design chief's thought processes and gives us a glimpse into his home and studio in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.

VW Polo R Line (2012) first official pictures

Sportiness is not a word normally associated with the VW Polo. Even in GTI guise the current VW Polo is a rather sober driving experience compared to more exuberant rivals like the Renaulsport Clio or upcoming Ford Fiesta ST. There's nothing wrong with that, but with a WRC campaign on the horizon and a sensible-shoes donor car on its hands, Wolfsburg have created the Polo R Line.