2000 Volkswagen Passat Speedometer Instrument Cluster Gauges 2633763 on 2040-parts.com

Daihatsu's funky Cube rival on the way

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 29 September 2006 08:01 Daihatsu is on the verge of giving its boxy Materia supermini – which made its European debut in Paris - the green light for UK imports. If given the green light the spacious five-seater, which is already on sale in Japan, would arrive here next spring as a stand-alone topend model. The Materia is very similar to Nissan's does-it-exactly-what-it-says-on-the-tin Cube, which has been super popular with Japanese kids.

Koenigsegg Agera R World Speed Records now official (video)

Koenigsegg Agera R gets Guinness World Speed Record - Video One of the speed records set back in September by the incredible Koenigsegg Agera R has now been ratified by Guinness - 0-300-0 km/h (0-186-0 mph) in 21.9 seconds. As we say every time Koenigsegg jumps in to vision with another bonkers car or speed feat, we’re amazed at just what a handful of men with beards (except Christian von Koenigesgg – who doesn’t seem to have a hair to his name) can do from a shed in the snow of Sweden. What makes Koenigsegg even more impressive is that it’s not just that they  produce a stunning looking hypercar, but that they do it all themselves.

Car production increases again

THE SOCIETY of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said UK manufacturers built 91,282 cars in August, up 16.2%, or 12,705, on the same period in 2012, leaving year-to-date volumes 3.1% ahead of 2012, at 984,545. The figures showed 20,298 cars were made for the home market this year, up 21.1%, while 70,984 were for export, up 14.8%. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "The past 12-months has been one of the most productive since late 2008." Samuel Tombs, of consultancy Capital Economics, said the CBI figures showed the manufacturing sector "continuing to go from strength to strength".