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New Smart ForTwo and ForFour set for 2014 unveil

Mercedes-Benz's struggling Smart city car division is seeking to add a new dimension to the urban driving experience with its third-generation ForTwo, currently undergoing the final phase of a three-year test and development program ahead of a planned unveiling mid next year. Set for North American launch in 2015, the ultra-compact two-seat hatchback represents a fresh chapter in operations for Smart, which has recently gained greater independence from parent company Mercedes-Benz as its boss, Annette Winkler, attempts to stem years of financial losses after almost a decade of rebuilding following its short-lived joint venture with Mitsubishi. The new ForTwo, known internally as project C453, has been developed in a joint engineering program with the upcoming second-generation ForFour and its sister car, the third-generation Renault Twingo.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato: First production car photos

Ahead of a debut in Kuwait in two weeks, we have the first official photos – interior and exterior – of the production version of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato.  So far we’ve had just one outside picture of the production version of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, and we know that it will make its production debut at the Kuwait Concours d’Elegance on 15th February. But now we’ve got more pictures. Aston Martin has quietly published a PDF on the V12 Zagato (link to Aston Martin V12 Zagato PDF) which gives us some of the history behind the development of the V12 Zagato, tells us how it’s made (with craftsmen and hammers) and, for the first time, gives us a look at bothy the inside and outside of the new Zagato.

McLaren P1 (2013): powertrain revealed with 903bhp and electric driving

McLaren has revealed first details of the P1 supercar's hybrid powertrain. The headlines are: a combined 903bhp, 664lb ft, and the ability to drive 6.3 miles on zero-emission electric power. McLaren P1 powertrain: the details The engine is, as expected, an uprated version of the 12C's 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8.