2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Larado Ac & Heat Controls on 2040-parts.com

Europe's Car of the Year 2011 shortlist announced

The 41 contenders for Europe's 2011 Car of the Year trophy have been whittled down to the final seven as the European CoTY shortlist is announced today. The winner will be voted for by 59 of Europe's most influential motoring journalists, including two CAR writers: editor Phil McNamara and European editor Georg Kacher. The 2010 winner - by just 10 points ahead of the Toyota iQ - was the Volkswagen Polo. Like the Eurovision Song Contest, Car of the Year has proved controversial in the past with accusations of block-voting and blind patriotism, yet the award remains one of the most prestigious in the motor industry.

Lexus HS250h – the Posh Prius

Lexus HS250h Dedicated Luxury Hybrid. Well, that’s what Lexus calls it. I reckon the LS600 made a pretty good fist of being a ‘Luxury Dedicated Hybrid’, but that doesn’t count apparently because you didn’t have to have the LS as a hybrid.

Lamborghini Aventador: Are gearbox problems delaying deliveries of LP700-4?

Lamborghini Aventador at Goodwood this year We first started to wonder if Lamborghini were having problems with the Aventador a few weeks ago, when a friend of Cars UK told us that his LP700-4 – which he’d been told was in build in September and due at his dealers in October – was mysteriously bumped until April 2012. To say he was unhappy is an understatement. So we did the right thing and called Lamborghini.