2000 Chevrolet Am Fm Stereo Cassette Radio on 2040-parts.com

Cuba removes new car purchase restrictions

Granma, the Communist Party’s newspaper of record in Cuba, said Wednesday that the Council of Ministers approved regulations that “eliminate existing mechanisms of approval for the purchase of motor vehicles from the state.” That means the sale of new and used cars will be allowed to the public. Up until now, Cubans could buy and sell vehicles to each other, but they had to request permission from the government to purchase a new vehicle -- the main reason for the island's unique automotive landscape. The new laws will be enacted gradually, according to Granma, with a set minimum price.

Kia Pro_Cee’d GT Turbo first photo leaks out

We have the first of the 2013 Kia Pro_Cee’d GT – Kia’s Pro_Cee’d with the Veloster Turbo engine – ahead of its debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. We reported back in October that Kia were definitely going to stick the 1.6 litre petrol turbo from the Hyundai Velsoter in to the 3-door Pro_Cee’d to create a quite warm hatch to start chasing the hot hatch market, and Kia themselves teased the Pro_Cee’d GT in November. And now, ahead of the reveal of the Pro_Cee’d GT in March at Geneva, we get the first photo of the Pr0_Cee’d GT complete with the added butchness we expected to differentiate the GT from its more prosaic siblings.

Schumacher takes pole in Monaco – but starts sixth

Schumacher was quickest in Monaco qualifying Turn the clock back a day or two at the 2012 Monaco Grand Prix and all the clever money would have been on Lotus dominating proceedings. But 48 hours is a long time in a 2012 season of tyres that dictate performance seemingly based on which way the wind’s blowing. So instead of Lotus dominating proceedings we had Mercedes qualifying strongly, with Michael Schumacher taking pole and team mate Nico Rosberg in third.