98-05 Chevy Malibu Monte Carlo Impala Center Wheel Cap on 2040-parts.com

Is the Volkswagen BlueSport Roadster back on?

There was talk that VW needed at least three of its brands to take the BlueSport project in to production, and there was talk not just of a VW Bluesport but also a SEAT BlueSport, one from Skoda, another from Audi and even a Porsche BlueSport. But in the end, not a single part of VW’s vast group seemed enamoured enough with the BlueSport to take the project forward. But it now looks as though the idea of the BlueSport is far from dead, with VW’s design boss, Walter de Silva, declaring that he’s a big fan of the BlueSport project, and he’s far from the only one in the VW Group who feels the same.

McLaren Special Operations: Bespoke bits for your McLaren

McLaren Special Operations - your McLaren, your way We reported last week that McLaren had taken a customised MP4-12C to Pebble Beach and that it heralded the start of ‘McLaren Exclusive’ to customise customer cars. We were close, but its actually McLaren Special Operations -  and not McLaren Exclusive –  that’s doing the customising. But the principle is the same; McLaren will do pretty much anything you want done to your McLaren – as they always have – but with the McLaren Road Car division growing all the time it will all now come under the banner of the new  McLaren Special Operations division.

Audi SQ5 costs £43,870 in UK

The diesel Audi ‘RS’ Q5 – the Audi SQ5 – with 309bhp and 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds, will cost £43,870 when it arrives in the UK in spring 2013. That means Audi’s 3.0 litre V6 BiTurbo TDI with a healthy 309bhp and 479lb/ft of torque, enough to deliver the SQ5 to 62mph in 5.1 seconds, on to a top speed of 155mph and deliver an official economy figure (although you’ll never get it) of over 40mpg. The power goes through an eight-speed tiptronic ‘box to all four wheels and you get a sound actuator in the exhaust to give you a non-diesely roar. Audi has also dropped the suspension on the SQ5 by 30mm compared to the regular Q5 S Line for a more sporty manner, and if you opt for Audi’s Drive Select Adaptive Dynamics you’ll also get  Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Efficiency modes (and an Individual mode too if you opt for HDD SatNav as well) which alter the steering, transmission, throttle and even the exhaust actuator to suit.