2009 Nissan GT-R upgrades confirmed

We’ve been seeing quite a lot of guess work and speculation lately about 2009 changes to the supercar killer that is the Nissan GT-R. And all this before the UK even gets its first car. The most speculated upon change, and one that has been confirmed, is the deletion of launch control from the spec for all cars ordered from today.

Air-powered car edges closer to reality

FANCY a car that runs on thin air? We all would, and Peugeot is almost ready to turn it from science-fiction to science-fact. The firm is ready to actually demonstrate its Hybrid Air technology, where a 208 supermini runs partly on petrol and partly on compressed air, resulting in astonishing fuel economy figures topping 140mpg.

Merc to revive straight six, plus 4cyl and smaller V8s

Mercedes has just signed off a new engine family which will see most full-sized Mercs in future run four-cylinders, downsized V8s and… straight sixes. A friendly Mercedes engineer recently met CAR to disclose the engine plans for future models, including the surprise disclosure that Merc plans to switch to straight sixes, like its rivals over in Munich.  It's fair to say I almost choked on my breakfast croissant when I found out the details of the next MB engine generation which has just been signed off for release in 2015. Mercedes' future four-cylinder engines Again, there will be a family of new low-cost fours, and the big-bore V8s will be replaced by a series of downsized turbocharged 4.0-litre units.