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Mitsubishi at the Paris motor show 2008

By Guy Bird Motor Shows 06 October 2008 09:13 The heavily revised Mitsubishi Colt was the biggest real-world news for the Japanese brand at Paris. It now gets the large signature jet fighter grille from its bigger Lancer brother, alongside a whole new front end, interior changes and a Ralliart version.  It’s not just a nose job, honest. The rear of the car gets smaller lights rather than the previous full-length ones, partly for ease of crash repair, and interior ergonomics have been improved – the rear seats now fold flat for instance.

Racing granny wished for more speed

A 102-year-old woman said she was disappointed racing great Mario Andretti could not go faster than 180mph during their laps around a speedway track in Indianapolis. Edith Pittenger, of Muncie, said she had a great time riding with Andretti in a two-seat race car. "He said 180 is the maximum," she told the Star Press.

17,000 solar panels to power Toyota’s Derbyshire plant

Toyota’s manufacturing plant at Burnaston in Derbyshire, where the Auris and Avensis are built, will install the biggest solar panel system yet seen in a UK car plant.  British Gas, which will stump up the £10 million cost of installing the solar panels, and Toyota are working together to save 2000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. Once the solar panels are installed, they claim it will save enough energy to build approximately 7000 cars a year.