Citroen C1 gets insurance ‘Black Box’ as standard. Orwellian control arrives.

Citroen has announced that the C1 Connexion will now come with a Telematics ‘Black Box’ as standard fitting as Big Brother moves closer. As if it wasn’t enough that every street corner, business and park now has at least one CCTV camera, that we’re prosecuted for ‘speeding’ by yellow boxes on poles that take no account of road conditions or circumstances and that motorists are being milked dry by ‘stupid’ box junction and red light cameras, now Citroen are to fit a telematics ‘Black Box’ as standard to its C1 Connexion. Citroen say the ‘Black Box’ fitting is so they can offer free insurance to buyers, with anyone from 19-75 getting a year’s free insurance with every C1 as long as they have at least two years no claims bonus.

Mini brand to get turbo three-cylinder engine

BMW confirmed the Mini brand will also get BMW's new, turbo three-cylinder engine in upcoming models to be named later as part of a new family of engines for both brands that also includes an all-new four-cylinder. The company won't say which future models get the new three-cylinder other than the already announced BMW i8 plug-in hybrid. It arrives in the spring of 2014.

Nissan X-Trail stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Nissan has revealed its much-needed new X-Trail here at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show – a genuinely global car that will now be sold in 190 countries around the world from 2014. The new Nissan X-Trail has evolved to become more of a crossover model than the traditional 4x4-look old version: Nissan reckons it is the ‘ultimate all-weather highly capable modern family vehicle’.