Audi A6 Fluwheel Gear Ring 3.0 Tdi / Cduc - Cdu 245hp C7 4g 2012 on 2040-parts.com

Saab on the road to independence

You’ve got to feel for Scandinavian car makers Saab and Volvo. Both swallowed up by big US car makers, and both now being abandoned in a vulnerable position after years of integrating their once independent products in to their parents infrastructure, they must wake up every day wondering if this is the day it all goes bang. Ford is simply trying (increasingly desperately) to off-load Volvo, but GM, which is in a much more precarious position than Ford, has now abandoned its Swedish child in a desperate attempt to appease Congress and survive.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: The gullwing takes flight

Before we reveal what it is like to hot-lap a prototype version of Mercedes-Benz's 6.2-liter V8-powered SLS around the 2.2-mile Sachsenring in eastern Germany, let us tell you one thing that puts the big rear-wheel-drive coupe into clear perspective. The SLS, planned to get its first public outing at the Frankfurt motor show in September, is not based on any existing Mercedes model. Rather, it has been conceived, designed and engineered from the ground up in a no-compromise approach by the German carmaker's in-house tuning division, AMG.

Porsche 918 Spyder with Weissach Package does 0-62 mph in 2.6 seconds

Porsche 918 Spyder with Weissach Package does 0-62 mph in 2.6 seconds The trio of hypercars currently vying for the title of the ultimate supercar – McLaren P1, LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder – have all taken similar – but different – routes to performance, although they’ve all ended up with remarkably similar statistics. But the Porsche 918 Spyder has already scored a direct hit with a record time of 6:57s round the Nurburgring and now, ahead of the first customer cars finally reaching their homes, Porsche has revealed improved performance for the 918 Spyder with the Weissach Package fitted. Performance from 0-62mph is just 2.6 seconds (2.8 seconds without the Weissach Package), 124mph is reached in 7.2 seconds (0.5s quicker) and 186mph in 19.9 seconds (2.1 s quicker).