97-04 Mitsubishi Colt Left Down Cover Dashboard on 2040-parts.com

Ford B-Max goes in to production

The Ford B-Max – Ford’s long overdue replacement for the Fusion – has gone in to production in Romania before going on sale in Europe in September. The Ford B-Max is the long-awaited replacement for the very ancient Ford Fusion which finally, a year on from the B-Max Concept - arrived at this year’s Geneva Motor Show in production guise. Thankfully – because the B-Max concept as so convincing – Ford has managed to deliver a production B-Max that carries over almost all the features of the concept with just a few minor things – like more sensible wheels and proper door handles – marking the production B-Max out from the concept.

Only the top is soft in new Audi A5/S5 cabriolet

Audi is bucking the trend among luxury automakers who are churning out hardtop convertibles, as the new A5/S5 cabriolets that will reach these shores in October will be the old-fashioned, soft-top design. While other manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Volvo, among others, offer folding hard-tops, Audi says the compromise necessary to make room for the top and all its mechanical apparatus makes a soft-top the right choice for a small to mid-size convertible. The soft top is well insulated; even during a steady rain during our first drive of the car, the cabin was relatively quiet.

Mercedes' production Bluetec diesel SUVs

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 13 March 2008 17:14 Europe loves diesel, America doesn’t, so welcome to the US-only Mercedes Bluetec SUVs. The R, ML and GL 320 Bluetec diesels will be launched in America in autumn 2008, but won’t be coming to Europe yet. The three SUVs, which Mercedes claims come with the world’s latest and cleanest diesel engine, may not even make it to the UK.  All three come with a 3.0-litre diesel engine that has revised piston crowns, a lower compression ratio, and a new turbocharger and ECU.