2002 Nissan Maxima Interior Rear View Mirror 2471628 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo announces 2014 XC90’s world-first safety tech

The next Volvo XC90 SUV will arrive in 2014 with loaded with world-first safety technology to take on the Audi Q7 and Land Rover Discovery. The safety arsenal will include after-dark pedestrian detection, road barrier detection, as well as fully autonomous cruise control  and parking capability.  It’s the latest salvo from Volvo’s crack team of safety-obsessed engineers in the fight to realise the company’s ‘Vision 2020’ target – that no occupant of a new Volvo will be killed or seriously injured in an accident by 2020.

Toyota FT-86 Concept – say ‘hachi roku’

The Toyota FT-86 Concept will preview at Tokyo The FT-86 (hachi roku is Japanese for 86) is a small (13′ 8″ long) rear-wheel drive sports coupe which is going to turn up not just as a Toyota but also as a Subaru. It uses the 2.0 Boxer engine found in the Impreza, but by the time it finds its way to market in 2011 – as both a Toyota and a Subaru – it’s likely to get the next generation Boxer lump. The FT-86 is Toyota’s way of launching itself back in to the sports market – a market it once did well in with cars like the MR2 – and gain some credibility, and custom, from younger drivers.

Porsche will return to Le Mans LMP1 class in 2014

Porsche have announced their intention to return to top-level sports prototype racing in 2014, with a car to compete in the LMP1 class at the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Porsche: Most successful manufacturer at Le Mans The Zuffenhausen-based carmaker has plenty of heritage to draw upon as it enters its LMP1 car development programme. Porsche have won the Le Mans 24hr race 16 times since 1970 with racing models including the 917, 956, 962 and 911GT1.