1999-2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara Lower Intermediate Steering Column Shaft on 2040-parts.com

BMW i3 EV revealed. It’s clever, but it’s not exactly pretty

The BMW i3 electric city car (pictured) has been officially revealed The BMW i3 – the first of BMW’s production ‘i’ electric cars – has finally been revealed at events in London, New York and Beijing as BMW plots its course to bring a premium electric city car to the world. Looking much like the original Mega City Concept, the i3 debuts a number of innovations from BMW – which are very clever – but it also debuts perhaps the worst looking BMW we’ve ever seen, with its incongruous lines, bulging bonnet, odd shapes on the flanks and slab-backed rear view. But what underpins the i3 is clever indeed, with a lightweight inner body made from carbon fibre and carbon fibre reinforced body panels providing the skin, all conspiring to make the i3 light – 1195kg, despite 25 per cent or so of that being batteries – and very rigid.

Vauxhall reveals its line up for 2010 Paris motor show

The 2010 Mondial de l’Automobile – aka Paris motor show 2010 – is set to be the launchbed for a bevy of new models from the Vauxhall stable. The Paris show will see Vauxhall launch a three-door Astra GTC Paris concept car (the main news, but sadly no photos available yet), plus a clutch of other spin-offs. There are new Meriva diesels, an Astra estate and the latest evolution of Ampera electric vehicle.

Infiniti fast tracks small diesel engines

Infiniti is fast-tracking new small diesel engines in the wake of the Daimler-Renault-Nissan partnership signed today in Brussels.Nissan's upmarket division will take supply of Merc's smaller four-cylinder turbodiesels - at a stroke thrusting it into the heartland of the executive sector. At present, it struggles to compete with its 3.7-litre V6 petrol only range of G saloons and coupes, and large-engined SUV crossovers. Sooner than you might think.