2007 07 Kawasaki Zx6r Zx-6r Ninja Zx6 07-08 Exhaust Header on 2040-parts.com

RCA students to reinterpret classic cars for Salon Privé

Salon Privé is the rather pretentious-sounding UK concours d'elégance that models itself on the likes of Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este. This year the event has something that really piques our interest – a design contest, judged by some of the world's top designers. Ten Students from the nearby Royal College of Art have been tasked with reinterpreting a previous cars entered into the show for a competition named Concours of the Future.

Nissan NV3500 passenger van promises quiet and safety

Early this year Nissan introduced a full-sized commercial panel van that's offered in two flavors -- standard and tall; as in, you can walk around the interior. So it was just a matter of time until Nissan targeted the hotel shuttle and church bus crowd with a windowed passenger model using that platform. First impression is that Nissan's windowed van is a very credible competitor for a segment that has been dominated by the Ford E-series and the Chevrolet Express, and to a lesser degree by the GMC Savana and Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter.

Lexus IS 300h promises unrivalled ownership costs

The new Lexus IS - launched at Detroit in January and costing from £26,495 for the IS 250 in the UK – actually offers ownership costs that eclipse diesel offerings from the likes of Jaguar, BMW, Audi and Mercedes, say Lexus. Despite the logical assumption that the complex hybrid powerplant in the IS 300h would cost more to maintain, Lexus say the opposite is true. Because it has no clutch and the starter motor and alternator are integrated they require no servicing or replacement and Lexus has fitted a timing chain instead of a timing belt, so it won’t need regular replacement either.