Lotus to build Ethos mini with Proton, Elan delayed

Lotus today confirmed it will build its city car concept - with help from parent firm Proton - but the Elan sports car has been put on ice. The new Lotus city car will be called the Ethos, continuing a long tradition of E-names for products from Hethel. The Lotus city car is go Chief executive Dany Bahar said the city car would be on sale in early 2014.

2013 Ford Mondeo: Paris 2012

Ford has given the new Mondeo its first public outing at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, and it looks a good effort. But the new 2013 Ford Mondeo no longer has the advantage of being a default buy for families, so Ford are working hard to make the Mondeo stand out from the mainstream offerings in the C/D segment by making it appear to more ‘Premium’ than just a mere Ford. That means a new nose – a nose that looks like it belongs on an Aston Martin – and a clever range of technology and engines that actually offer more – and for less – than most of the premium car makers can manage.

Shortened LX rear-drive platform--Chrysler's midsize car answer?

Chrysler's new management team is wrestling with its first major product decision, and it's a crucial one: how to replace the slow-selling Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger. One option--a stretched version of Fiat's compact D-Evo platform--faces serious hurdles, and one early proposal--use of an Opel platform--is off the table. Now sources say Chrysler Group LLC could replace its much-maligned mid-sized cars with a model based on the Chrysler 200C EV, a concept shown at the Detroit auto show in January.