Ford overhauls plans for the U.S. C-Max to go with fewer seats, all hybrids

Ford has shifted gears on its plans for the C-Max wagon in the United States and will now sell only the five-seat version with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, beginning in 2012. Ford has canceled plans to sell the seven-seat version of the C-Max with a conventional gasoline engine in the States. Ford will call the car the C-Max hybrid, and C-Max Energi will be the name of the plug-in version.

2012 Lexus GS Spy Video

2012 Lexus GS on track at Toyota's huge proving ground in Belgium We’ve managed to churn out a number of stories on the 2012 Lexus GS over the last few weeks as Lexus ramps up the interest in their new GS ahead of its debut at Pebble Beach in August. It all started with the Lexus LF-Gh concept at Geneva in the spring – the new GS in Concept guise –  since when our spy photographers have managed to grab shots of a disguised GS out ploughing round the Nurburgring and we’ve had a Lexus boss musing the likelihood of a Lexus GS Coupe – and an official announcement that the GS 350 will arrive at Pebble. Now we get one of the oxymorons of car PR in the internet age – the ‘Official’ Spy Video.

Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept edging towards production

The Volkswagen Beetle Dune frolicking on the beach Back at the Detroit Motor Show in January, the Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept arrived as the perfect accessory for an outdoor lifestyle – especially if you’re in Southern California. Riding higher than a regular Beetle, with big wheels and a rack on the back for surf boards, sand boards or skis, the Beetle Dune Concept looked very close to a production car. Now, with Summer upon us, Volkswagen has released some new photos of the Dune concept frolicking around sunny locations in Germany and pointing firmly towards a production version.