Auto Meter 5784 Phantom; Mechanical Vacuum Gauge on 2040-parts.com

Audi showcases bright future

AUDI IS to showcase new front lighting technology that uses super-powerful laser diodes just a few thousandths of a millimetre in diameter. But at the same time, the tiny diodes are claimed to be able to light the road ahead for an incredible 500 metres. That gives the technology about double the reach of today’s best LED headlights, with around three times as much overall light output.

Peugeot tease new sports saloon concept for Beijing Motor Show

Lurking under this cover is a new Peugeot Concept for the 2014 Beijing Motor Show Peugeot do good concepts, even if many don’t actually make it in to production. A case in point is the stunning Peugeot Onyx Concept we saw at the Paris Motor Show in 2012, which came with great styling, copper and carbon fibre bodywork, the use of unusual materials like crystal glass and compressed paper and a powertrain that used a 3.7 litre V8 at the back with an electric motor for added green credentials. Peugeot say their latest concept – which will debut at the Beijing Motor Show in April and is teased by the photo above – will use the same sort of innovative materials as the Onyx (which probably means it too will never see production) and preview the future of Peugeot’s styling.

One Lap of the Web: Peking to Paris Rally, classic car inspection guide and pointless cars

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- Join the Hooniverse debate as they ask: What's the dumbest car sold on the market today?