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Italian Grand Prix (2014) RESULT

Italian Grand Prix (2014) RESULT After the difficulties of Spa for lewis Hamilton two weeks ago, he’s managed to take pole position in the 2014 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, pushing team mate Nico Rosberg in to second place. But can he hold on to that advantage? The answer is: yes and no.

2015 Volvo XC90 First Edition sells out in quick sticks

The new Volvo XC90 First Edition (pictured) is all sold out Last weekend we revealed details of the 2015 Volvo XC90 First Edition, a massive spec XC90 created by Volvo to launch the new XC90. And, despite a hefty £68,000 price tag, the entire run of 1,927 First Editions sold out in just 47 hours, with the majority reserved in the first hour. That 1,927 First editions – a number that represents the year Volvo was founded – is total availability for the world market, but 55 UK buyers are on the list and will get their cars in April 2015.

Lewis Hamilton on Pole for 2014 Italian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton on Pole for 2014 Italian Grand Prix F1 hasn’t been kind to Lewis Hamilton in 2014, especially with Nico Rosberg running in to him at Spa, but Hamilton is back on track with his first pole position since May and, better still, he did it by leaving Nico Rosberg in second place a comfortable 0.274s behind. That performance will no doubt help Hamilton’s state of mind as he battles Rosberg for the drivers championship, but he still has a mountain to climb as Mercedes’ sanctions on Rosberg don’t include a ‘resting’ race to level the playing field. And with just seven races to go, a 29 point deficit is a big deficit to make up.

Citroen Divine DS Concept showcases the DS brand’s direction

The Citroen Divine DS Concept is heading for Paris Citroen do good concepts, and the DS Divine Concept is another slightly barking gilded lily from the French car makers, pointing the way to future DS models and design. About the size of a DS4, the DS Divine is driving the DS brand in a different direction to Citroen, and the lack of any Citroen badging demonstrates Citroen’s intent to set the DS models apart from the regular Citroen models as a standalone brand around the world, much as they already do in China. With a big diamond pattern grill up front and its low, squat stance, the DS Divine looks convincing, even if the oversize alloys and some of the detailing are typically ‘concept’, particularly the windowless back end.

Rogue lorries threaten road workers

FRIGHTENING footage of lorries ignoring warning signs and almost crashing into motorway maintenance workers has been released by the Highways Agency. One video clip shows a lorry avoiding one of the agency's traffic officer vehicles which was attending a breakdown on the M6 near Birmingham. The truck also just avoids the traffic officers and the passengers in the broken down car.

Refreshed Audi A6 Unveiled

GERMAN car maker Audi has released the first details about its revised A6 range. Key improvements centre on styling, equipment, engine performance and efficiency, with the first customer deliveries expected before the end of the year. Revised prices have yet to be announced but Audi is expecting the updated range to start from £32,000.

Ian Callum’s Jaguar Mark 2 goes in to limited production – costs from £350,000

Ian Callum’s Jaguar Mark 2 goes in to limited production Jaguar designer Ian Callum has worked with Classic Motor Cars Limited (CMC) for more than a year to produce his perfect Jaguar Mark 2, and it’s been so well-received it’s going in to limited production. Still looking like a Jaguar MK II – but with a few modern twists – Ian’s car gets integrated bumpers for a smoother look, louvres on the front wings, a set of split-rim wire wheels, an upgraded 4.3 litre XK engine, five-speed manual ‘box, upgraded suspension and brakes and a new interior. To our eyes, the whole car looks incredibly homogeneous and not at all like the ruination of a classic, and that seems to be the feeling of Jaguar lovers round the world.

Fiat 500X teaser video ahead of 2014 Paris motor show

Fiat has issued this Youtube video of its new 500X crossover, which is destined to launch the Italian brand into the compact SUV market dominated by the Nissan Juke. Although an annoyingly restricted view of the 500X, it is possible to make out the silhouette and outline of the baby crossover, which goes on sale in the UK in time for the new 15-reg launch in March 2015. See the Fiat 500X in full at the 2014 Paris motor show on 2 October – we’ll have the first official photographs and news the moment the covers come off.

Family releases fatal motorcycle crash video

A BEREAVED FAMILY has released shocking video clips of a motorcyclist's road death in a bid to highlight the dangers on our roads. David Holmes, 38, was killed on the A47 in Norfolk in June last year. He was travelling at 97mph when a car crossed into his path.

First Sight: Divine DS concept

To mark 100 days since the announcement that DS was to become a brand of its own, separate from Citroën, it has created the Divine DS concept – a self-styled manifesto for the new marque. We traveled to Citroën's DS' design center on the southern outskirts of Paris to be amongst the first to see this statement of intent and speak to the people behind its creation. "This concept car is the very essence of what DS is and what it will be," declares Yves Bonnefont, the CEO of the DS brand.

Peugeot Exalt Concept at the Paris Motor Show in Euro-Spec

The European version of the Peugeot Exalt Concept With the Paris Motor Show now looming (just four weeks away) car makers are starting to reveal new cars and new concepts heading for the French capital. Today it’s the turn of Peugeot to reveal an updated version of the Exalt Concept we saw at the Beijing Motor Show in April. The Peugeot Exalt Concept is Peugeot’s next step on from the Onyx Concept, showcasing many of Peugeots’ future design cues and technology all wrapped up in a swoopy coupe saloon that sadly will never see the light of day as a production model.

Return Of BRZ SE Reduces Entry-Level Price

SUBARU has expanded its BRZ sports car range with the re-introduction of the entry level SE model. Priced at £22,495, the addition of the SE model comes after the original price reduction of £2,500 for the SE Lux variant in the summer. Customers now have the choice of four BRZ models: SE manual £22,495 SE auto £23,995 SE Lux manual £23,995 SE Lux auto £25,495 SE specification is said to be generous, with keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, sports seats, limited slip differential and front, side, curtain and knee airbags all standard fit.

Lotus Elise S Cup (2015) – the track Elise switches to road

The Lotus Elise S Cup: new track-inspired Elise, but be warned: it costs £43,500 By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 05 September 2014 14:02 Lotus has announced a new roadgoing Elise S Cup – one of the hardest, purest Elise models yet. There is a snag in taking the Lotus Elise S Cup R from race track to road, however: the price. The S Cup road version will cost around £43,500, making it one of the most expensive Elises to date.

Bristol Cars is back with new Pinnacle model coming in 2015

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 05 September 2014 13:00 Bristol Cars is back from the dead with today’s announcement of a new hybrid GT – dubbed Project Pinnacle – slated for launch in 2015. The news came at the suitably swanky Concours of Elegance in Hampton Court Palace, London. Bristol Cars crashed into administration in 2011, but was snapped up by Kamkorp Autokraft, part of the Frazer-Nash group.

CMC To Produce Limited Run Of Mark 2 By Callum

FOLLOWING the response from car enthusiasts around the world after the launch of the Jaguar Mark 2 by Callum, Classic Motor Cars Limited (CMC) have announced that it will be producing a limited edition run of cars. Initially a bespoke project for Jaguar designer Ian Callum, CMC are now gearing up to cater for interested buyers keen to posses a modern interpretation of Jaguar’s classic Mark 2 model. Commenting on the development, Peter Neumark, Chairman of CMC, said: “The car was only unveiled to the public just over a week ago but has attracted interest from all over the world.

Out of this world: Land Rover to send people into space

Land Rover is a company all about adventure. It’s constructed its reputation on building cars that can explore our planet to the full – and now it’s going beyond the Earth. Seriously.

Concept Car of the Week: Bizzarrini Manta (1968)

In the latter half of 1965, Giotto Bizzarrini began working on a racing car designed to compete with the Ford GT40, Ferrari 250P and the Porsche 906. The result was the P538, his most sophisticated car to date. The first two examples built were fitted with Lamborghini V12 engines and sold to American buyers to compete in SCCA races, while the third used a highly modified 5.4-liter V8 from the Chevrolet Corvette.

Peugeot Exalt concept (2014) updated for Paris motor show

By CJ Hubbard First Official Pictures 05 September 2014 16:47 Peugeot has updated its Exalt concept car for the 2014 Paris motor show. Compared to the version that appeared at the Beijing motor show in April, the revised Peugeot Exalt features a new colour scheme, new materials – and an electric scooter in the boot. To recap, the Exalt is a large saloon that follows on from the Onyx concept of 2012.

The New Jaguar XE final video tease (probably)

The New Jaguar XE final video tease (probably) Jaguar has been working hard to build excitement for the new XE – effectively a replacement for the old X-Type to take on the might of Audi, Mercedes and BMW in the compact saloon sector – and we’ve had no end of teases in the last few months. But now, with the debut of the Jaguar XE in a marketing extravaganza in London on Monday (8 September) Jaguar has released what we expect will be the final tease for the new XE. What we get is a 15 second overview of Jaguar’s current cars, interspersed with snippets of views of the new XE and a sound track that seems to include the exhaust note of the new XE too.

New car sales still accelerating

NEW CAR SALES raced ahead again last month, according to official figures. A total of 72,163 new vehicles were registered in August 2014 - a 9.4% rise on August 2013 and the 30th consecutive month of growth, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. Last month's figure took the year-to-date total to more than 1.53 million - a 10.1% rise on the total for the first eight months of 2013.

World’s best-selling roadster returns

MAZDA has released details on the brand-new fourth generation MX-5, already the best selling roadster of all time. Launched simultaneously at events in Barcelona, Japan and the USA, the fourth-generation MX-5 is the first to benefit from Mazda’s SkyActiv efficient technology. That means a frugal but powerful petrol engine and a substantial weight saving of 100kg over the previous generation.

High-tech thieves stealing cars without the keys

MORE THAN one in three vehicles stolen in London are taken by hackers who do not have the owner's keys, the Home Secretary has revealed. Sophisticated car thieves are breaking into cars and programming new electronic keys instead, Theresa May said in a speech in Westminister. The hi-tech theft was given as an example of changing threats faced by police in modern Britain.

Mazda MX-5 Miata

For only the fourth time since the first was introduced 25 years ago - when it reignited the small sports car market - there's a new Mazda MX-5 Miata. Mazda's aim this time was to strip away much of the bulk that had accumulated over the years, recapturing the essence of a compact, light and affordable roadster. The subtext is that the MX-5 Miata has become a car more often bought by women in their 60s, rather than the young males it was originally intended for.

Citroen Divine DS concept (2014): a posh VW Golf?

By CJ Hubbard First Official Pictures 04 September 2014 15:00 In case you missed the memo, DS is now a standalone brand, rather than a subset of Citroen. So says Citroen, anyway. To celebrate there’s a new DS concept, and it’s absolutely Divine.

Driving Ban Over Unrestrained Child

A DRIVER has been banned for six months after he was caught on camera speeding at 70mph with a child standing or kneeling on the front passenger seat. John Naisbitt was fined £115 and given three penalty points on top of the ban after he admitted speeding and "carrying a passenger in a manner likely to cause danger". Northallerton Magistrates' Court heard that the 66-year-old from County Durham was caught as he passed a North Yorkshire Police camera on April 27 on the A59 at Menwith Hill.

Abarth Launches Custom Track Package To Celebrate 65 Years’ Heritage

THE NEW Abarth 500, offered with additional equipment and a bespoke Abarth track experience, is the latest deal being offered by the performance car manufacturer. Just 65 of the brand’s 500 Custom models are being made available, in recognition of the 65 years since Abarth & C. was formed in Italy by Carlo Abarth.

New 2015 Mazda MX-5 revealed

The new Mazda MX-5 has been umveiled The Mazda MX-5 is the car we, the British, would still be making if we hadn’t forgotten how to make fun to drive and affordable roadsters for the common man. Fortunately, Mazda has taken up the Mantle with the MX-5 over the last 25 years, and the new 2015 MX-5 looks like it will offer more of the same. The new MX-5 has a new chassis, a pair of new SkyActiv petrol engines and manages to be lighter and smaller than the current MX-5 – which augers very well for its appeal and ability.

LA Auto Show Design Challenge theme: 'Sensing the Future: How Will Cars Interact with Us In 2029?'

The Los Angeles Auto Show has confirmed the theme for its annual Design Challenge. This year marks the eleventh time the contest has been held, and eight global design studios will each produce a concept to showcase a connected vehicle or interface system in response to the theme: 'Sensing the Future: How Will Cars Interact with Us In 2029?' The show's organizers have confirmed that BMW Group DesignworksUSA, Honda USA, Honda Japan, McLaren Automotive, Nissan, Peterbilt Motors, Qoros Auto, and SAIC Motor MG will all take part. "Los Angeles is one of the world's most dynamic cities constantly keeping its eye on the future of technological advancements that largely affect our daily lives," said Lisa Kaz, President of the LA Auto Show.

Mazda MX-5 (2015): first pictures of new MX-5 Mk4

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 04 September 2014 02:00 The 2015 Mazda MX-5 was unveiled today - updating a modern classic with the fourth generation of the back-to-basics roadster. The new MX-5 is due in UK showrooms from summer 2015, priced around £19,000. These first official pictures of the new MX-5 reveal a trim two-seater which evolves the sports car silhouette that’s become such a familiar sight on our roads since launch in 1989.

Opinion: Discovery Sport and the long-term ramifications of pandering to the crossover convergence

Having pored over the first pictures of the new Land Rover Discovery Sport and consumed the accompanying official literature, we’re left wondering why it shares so much of its design treatment with the Range Rover Evoque, while simultaneously removing the last vestiges of utility from the Discovery nameplate. From its virtually indistinguishable grille and lamp graphics, over its tapered roofline to its bespoilered tail, it’s hard to describe it as anything other than a derivative of the Evoque. The difference between a Discovery and a Range Rover it would seem, is a body coloured C-pillar.