1999 Mercedes Benz R170 Slk230 Bose Amplifier 1708200489 on 2040-parts.com

Bob Lutz returns as General Motors adviser

The raspy voice of Bob Lutz will again be heard at General Motors. The company announced on Friday morning that its former product czar is returning as an adviser. Lutz had been advising GM executives on an informal basis, the company said.

2013 Astra Convertible spied on video – The new Vauxhall Calibra / Opel Manta?

2013 Astra Convertible Spy Vauxhall and Opel have now managed to reveal much of the new Astra Model range – with the Astra GTC debuting at Frankfurt last month being the latest – but there’s still the drop-top Astra Convertible to come. The 2013 Astra Convertible – which may arrive as the new Vauxhall Calibra – has been caught on video testing ahead of an expected debut at Paris in 2012, before going on sale across Europe in 2013. Looking very much like the GTC with a cloth top, the new Astra Convertible loses the tin-top of the old model and gets a folding canvas top in the name of economy, lightness and dynamics.

2014 BMW X5 M50d: Specs, photos and price ahead of November on sale

The 2014 BMW X5 M50d (pictured) goes on sale November 2013 The new BMW X5 goes on sale in November – after a public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month – including the most powerful diesel X5, the 2014 BMW X5 M50d. Because the M50d is a bit special, BMW has seen fit to relay not just a pile of new photos of the M50d (above) but specific details on its spec and options ahead of the on sale date in Europe. Just as in the first X50d, the new X50d gets the world’s most powerful in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine under the bonnet, which means a thumping 376bhp and a planet turning 546lb/ft of torque, enough to sprint to 62mph in a very un-diesel like 5.3 seconds.