Blog on 2040Parts

Bentley celebrates 95 years with Mulsanne 95

Bentley is celebrating its 95th birthday with a special-edition Mulsanne 95, which will only be available in the U.K. Only 15 examples of the Mulsanne 95 will be produced. The upgrades are purely visual, which means power still comes from 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8 making 505 hp and a cement-cracking 752 lb-ft of torque.

Jaguar to hand-build build six new 'Lightweight' E-Types

JAGUAR is bringing history to life with an incredible mission to build six ‘Lightweight’ E-Types from scratch – by hand. The firm’s ‘finest craftsmen’ will hand-build each of the ultra-rare E-Type racers to the exact specification dictated on the original plans, including the 3.8-litre straight-six petrol engine. The cars were originally destined to be built in the 1960s as part of a run of 18, but only 12 were ever made.

Drivers undecided over 20mph zones

DRIVERS are against the idea of a blanket 20mph speed limit on urban roads but are open to their targeted use, according to research published today by road safety charity, Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). Half of drivers from the UK are against a blanket 20mph speed limit with less than a third willing to embrace the idea and a fifth undecided. Male drivers are more likely to be against the idea than female.

Mercedes try to 'bring the noise' back to F1

MERCEDES trialled a device aimed at amplifying and improving the much-maligned sound made by the 2014 marque Formula One cars on the second day of testing in Barcelona. With new V6 engines forming part of an overhaul in F1 regulations, widespread criticism of the dulcet tones has continued from the opening race of the season in Australia. With F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone amongst those to question the enjoyment of listening to the new engines, the teams decided to look into ways of making it a more pleasurable experience.

Hyundai enlists London College of Fashion to raise awareness of Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars

The Hyundai ix35 FCEV (pictured) will get graphics from the LCF to promote FCEVs Even though car makers have been playing with the possibility of cars powered by hydrogen for years, it’s only now that an real-world FCEVs are starting to hit the road. Car makers certainly seemed to have made the hydrogen fuel cell a practical proposition for powering cars (although cost is still an obstacle), but that’s just the start of making FCEVs a viable option. Huge amounts of work need to be done to create a hydrogen refuelling network but, perhaps more importantly, car buyers need to understand that FCEVs are viable and that they exist at all.

New Ford Technical Support Center focused on motorsports

Ford is opening a new technical and racing support center in Concord, N.C. The compound will be fully operational this summer, supporting racing teams as they develop and test their cars. The 33,000-square-foot building will eventually help in development of future Ford performance vehicles.

Murray Walker 'astounded' by reunion with father's racing motorbike

VETERAN broadcaster and motorsports commentator Murray Walker was for once left speechless after he was reunited with one of his father’s old Rudge racing motorbikes. During a Royal Automobile Club dinner, where he was a guest of honour, the 90-year-old ‘voice of Formula 1’ was overwhelmed by a surprise unveiling of a group of classic racers that had been assembled by the Club on his behalf. Ever-fewer people remember that Graham Walker, Murray’s father, was a hugely successful motorbike racer with brands including Rudge.

More Londoners travelling by bus

MORE LONDONERS are taking the bus than at any time since 1959 - with more than 2.4 billion trips made in the capital in the past year. The growing popularity of London's iconic red double-deckers comes after Mayor Boris Johnson introduced a fleet of newly revamped Routemasters. The number of buses travelling along the capital's roads reached a 60-year high on April 29, when 7,961 buses were on the streets - the highest number since 1953, according to Transport for London.

'This is Long Beach' movie preview

At the end of the Great Depression, a subculture was created around the automobile. Small groups of people began gathering with their cars outside diners and soda shops to form the clubs that symbolized the birth of American car culture. In 1948, a group called The Cavaliers was born just outside Poly High School in Southern California.

Audi A3 Clubsport Quattro Concept gets 518bhp – heading for Worthersee

The 518bhp Audi A3 Clubsport Concept (pictured) is heading for Worthersee The Worthersee Show is looming at the end of May, and we can expect some extreme and mad concepts from the VW Group queuing up for attention. And among those will be this, the Audi A3 Clubsport Quattro Concept. Based on the Audi S3, the A3 Clubsport eschews the S3′s 2.0 litre TFSI in favour of Audi’s 5-cylinder 2.5 litre, and in the A3 Clubsport the wick gets turned up considerably to 518bhp and 442lb/ft of torque.

Land Rover Freelander Metropolis is the Freelander’s Swan Song

The Land Rover Freelander Metropolis (pictured) is the new range-topping Freelander Land Rover will soon be losing the Freelander name as the next Freelander becomes a new Discovery Sport, but before that we’re getting a revised Freelander range and a new range-topper – the Land Rover Freelander Metropolis. The Freelander Metropolis is a Freelander with all the option boxes already ticked, so you get the best Windsor Leather with electric seats, deep pile carpets to squidge your toes in, Panoramic glass roof for an airy cabin, heated steering wheel and a set of new 19″ alloys. You’ll also get quality sound thanks to the standard 825 watt surround sound audio, along with LED running lights, reversing camera and a touch screen SatNav too.

BMW Vision Gran Turismo

Ok, so it's only a virtual car for the computer game with which it shares its name, but the BMW Vision Gran Turismo is the result of a project undertaken by the BMW design and engineering departments in Munich. Loosely based around the 2 Series, the car is a neat amalgamation of current BMW design themes and the flamboyance of 1970s touring cars. You don't have to look too hard to see the influence of the CSL Batmobile and fire-spitting E21 320i Turbos.

Supercar owners hire runway to find top speed

“What’s the point of owning a supercar,” some might say. “You’ll never be able to reach its full performance potential on the road.” And while that’s true, there is an alternative to risking your driving licence if you buy a car like the new McLaren 650S or Lamborghini Huracan. Essentially, someone hires a private runway, and invites a load of supercar owners to drive as fast as they can before running out of tarmac.

Audi dealers ‘told lies’ about safety ratings

Audi A BBC investigation has found that Audi dealers lied about the safety ratings of some of the German brand’s models. The Watchdog programme sent undercover researchers into a number of dealers to ask about EuroNCAP ratings. 90% of staff lied about the Audi A5’s crash rating They found that nine out of 10 said that the Audi A5 had been rated by NCAP, with six out of 10 saying it had been awarded a maximum five stars in the crash tests.

Renault Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy – heading For Goodwood FoS 2014

Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy (pictured) aiming for a Nurburgring record Renault teased the Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy on social media last month, but now it’s arrived – and it’s going to have a busy summer. Apart from a  debut at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed next month, Renault are planning to take the 275 Trophy to the Nurburgring to try and grab back the lap record for a production front wheel drive car from the SEAT Leon Cupra 280. With that in mind, Renault has given the 2.0 litre Turbo in the Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy a bit of a tweak to yield 271bhp hoping that will be enough to beat the current 7:58.4s record.

2014 EyesOn Design Vehicle Categories Announced

The vehicle categories for this year's EyesOn Design exhibition have been announced. Each of the seventeen categories has been selected to complement the theme of this year's – 'Automotive design's influence on popular culture'. The organizers have chosen the theme and the cars on display to provoke 'a nostalgic reflection about cars that have, through their design, affected the popular culture of their day.'More than 250 vehicles will be shown, representing the following categories: 50th Anniversary of the GTO – celebrating 50 year's of Pontiac's muscle carClassic Era – high culture becomes pop culture, from the mid-20s to WW2 100 Years of Dodge – a century of survival and success storiesColor, Chrome and Fins – symbols of post-war American optimism 1964 New York World's Fair – 50-years on from the event in Queens 50th Anniversary of the Ford Mustang – the original pony car Tuners – the evolution of car personalization from 1967 to todayMuscle Cars – high horsepower straight from Detroit Working Class of 1928 – American car culture is born Pure Michigan – a celebration of some of the lesser-know makers from Flint, MI Personal Luxury Coupés – a look at the high-end mid-size coupés of the 1970s Movie & TV Cars – including four-wheeled stars from the big and small screenMaserati – highlights from 100 years of the Italian makerStock to Rock – standard models paired with their heavily customized twins Collector's Circle – supporting car collectors and their hobby Military Vehicles – from war-torn roads to off road heroesIndian Motorcycles – an enduring and endearing tribe founded back in 1897 This year's recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award – Peter Schreyer – will also receive his accolade at the event.

Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy (2014) first official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 14 May 2014 11:43 This is the new limited-edition Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy. It’s got more power, trick tyres, adjustable dampers, a titanium exhaust, and with that armoury Renault is firing a warning shot across the bows of forthcoming mega hatches like the Honda Civic Type R and Vauxhall Astra VXR Extreme. Renaultsport has worked on the regular Megane 265's turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine to find an extra 10bhp, so peak power is now 271bhp (or 275PS, hence the name) delivered at 5500rpm.

Jaguar to handbuild new £1m E-type Lightweights (2014) first pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 14 May 2014 09:16 Jaguar’s E-type is coming back from the dead, in ultra-rare ‘Lightweight’ form. A special team of craftsmen will handbuild six cars, all picture-perfect reproductions of the legendary Lightweight E-types from 1963-64. The 'new' cars are expected to sell for around £1 million each; established Jaguar collectors with a thirst for racing and a desire for a wondrous slice of motoring memorabilia get your name down now.

New Rolls Royce marks water speed records

A POWERFUL land vehicle which pays homage to speed on water has been unveiled by Rolls-Royce. The car company showed off its limited-edition Waterspeed Phantom Drophead Coupe on the site of the original Bluebird Motor Company forever associated with the speed record-holding Campbell family. The site is now the Bluebird restaurant on the King's Road in west London, with the Bluebird company having funded Sir Malcolm Campbell's waterspeed record attempts.

Jaguar to build six brand-new E-Types

Well this is a bit of a shock: Jaguar has announced that it is to start building the E-Type again, after production ceased in 1975. So much for the new F-Type proving popular… No, Jaguar hasn’t gone mad. It’s actually building six re-creation 'Lightweight' E-Types, with the aim of selling them to wealthy historic racing enthusiasts.

Jaguar Lightweight E-Type makes a comeback after 50 years – 6 new Lightweights to be built

6 new Jaguar Lightweight E-Types on the way Even in 1963, car makers made ‘special editions’ of production cars, and one such car was the Jaguar Lightweight E-Type, a lightweight version of the then new production E-Type designed to take Jaguar racing. This was in the days before carbon fibre panels, so Jaguar built many of the body panels from aluminium and fitted an aluminium block version of the 3.8 litre engine from the production E-Type with 300bhp (55bhp more than the road car), fuel injection and a ZF 5-speed gearbox. The Lightweight E-Type wasn’t a spectacular success on the track, and Jaguar ended up building just 12 of the original planned run of 18.

Ford Escape recall addresses door handle issue

Ford is recalling Escape SUVs from the 2013 and 2014 model years for a problem that can make the doors difficult to close or -- more ominously -- can cause the doors to open while driving. A total of 581,986 SUVs made between October 5, 2013, and April 10, 2014, are affected; Ford blames the recall on assembly misalignment between the exterior door handle and the door outer panel. The danger of this assembly issue involves the possibility of an unbelted passenger falling out of the SUV, though Ford has not indicated that any such incident has occurred.

Toyota ends powertrain deal with Tesla

To the surprise of no one, Toyota has announced the end of a partnership with Tesla that gave rise to the slow-selling RAV4 EV, which will be replaced by a fuel cell car next year. Toyota has said that it can't meet California's zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate profitably with electric cars, but it thinks it can make money, or at least not lose so much of it, with fuel cells. Toyota signed a $100 million joint development deal in 2011 with Tesla, to build powertrains for its RAV4 EV.

Volkswagen plans return of Microbus

An expanded lineup of Beetle-themed cars are in Volkswagen's future, including a Microbus model that we have seen in various concept forms over the past decade, according to Auto Express. When Volkswagen renews the Beetle in 2019, it will also debut a crossover, coupe and a mini-MPV, all based on the MQB architecture that underpins the new Golf. Even though plans of an MPV rebirth date back to the introduction of a number of concepts in the early 2000s, Volkswagen hadn't pulled the trigger on putting an homage to the Bus (known as the Kombi in most of the world, or Camper in the U.K.) intro production for a number of reasons.

Jaguar to re-create Lightweight E-type

Jaguar is embarking on its first ever re-creation project, and we think collectors will be pleased. The company plans to build six brand-new Lightweight E-types. They will fill in the missing six chassis numbers from the car's original planned run of 18 units in 1963.

America trialling solar-powered roads

Solar Roadways After glow-in-the-dark road markings proved to be a bit of a flop when the paint washed away in the rain, experts are now experimenting with solar-powered motorways. A small, family-owned American company based in Idaho called Solar Roadways has created a short section of road that uses the sun’s energy to power nearby buildings, as well as electric cars. If the solar-powered roads are adopted worldwide, it could put an end to the range-anxiety commonly associated with electric vehicles.

New World Record is not child’s play

THE NATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM is celebrating its success in setting a new World Record for the longest line of toy cars. To achieve the record, the museum gathered 24,189 model cars and laid them bumper to bumper to create an unbroken line that stretched for 1910-metres. Snaking its way around the museum’s grounds, the line of toy cars more than trumped the previous record of 14,310 toy cars.

Bruce Meyers, the Meyers Manx and 50 years of unfinished business

They left the staging area at 1 in the morning. The Manxter Dual Sport dune buggy was holding by faith alone -- it had been repaired over and over again, parts tied or taped together, seldom replaced; covered in the acrid dust of the desert, a dust that fills your lungs and face, a dust that worms its way into the cabin and across every surface. The GPS navigation was out.

Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy revealed

Meet the hottest Renaultsport Megane ever – the Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy, which Renault hopes will eat the SEAT Leon Cupra for breakfast around the infamous Nurburgring test track. Packing, you guessed it, 275hp, the 275 Trophy has an extra 10hp over the standard Megane Renaultsport. Exact performance figures are still to be confirmed but Renault tells us the Trophy will return 37.7mpg, with peak power from its twin-turbocharged engine coming at 5,500rpm.

Posh car 'pushes up house prices'

HAVING a posh car in the driveway can push up property prices, according to a survey. As many as a third of people reckon having a luxury motor outside their home can add to the value of their house, the poll by car rental company Avis found. Around a third of the 2,000 adults surveyed also thought a flash car would help sell a property.