Blog on 2040Parts

Refreshed Looks Signal Arrival Of Updated Yaris

HOT on the heels of its newly launched Aygo city car, Toyota has released the first details of its refreshed Yaris supermini. Scheduled to hit the showrooms this summer, the restyled car boasts an improved interior and better vehicle dynamics that its maker believes will position the car as one of the strongest contenders in the fiercely competitive supermini market. The Yaris follows the example of new Aygo, adopting a dramatic look that integrates a distinctive cross shape, centred on the front emblem, which separates the new-look upper and lower grilles.

£495k list price for David Brown Automotive Speedback GT

David Brown Automotive has announced its Speedback GT will cost £495,000 plus local taxes – meaning it’ll set UK buyers back a whopping £594,000. Unveiled at the Top Marques show in Monaco, the Speedback is based on the £78,965 Jaguar XKR and powered by a supercharged 5.0-litre engine. On Bing: see pictures of the David Brown Automotive Speedback David Brown Automotive Speedback revealed David Brown has no connection with Aston Martin, despite sharing his name with the previous managing director who gave his initials to many of the model names, and the classic DB5 that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Speedback.

Chelsea boss Mourinho takes delivery of F-Type Coupé

CHELSEA Football Club manager José Mourinho has been presented with a brand new Jaguar F-Type R Coupé – by two of the men responsible for building it. Two members of Jaguar's Castle Bromwich manufacturing team, Gary Johnson and Steven Gaut, were invited to present the car to the charismatic Blues boss. Steven Gaut was given the opportunity in recognition of his exemplary contribution at Castle Bromwich, and his tireless support of local charities for whom he has raised over £60,000 in recent years.

Shocking stats reveal mobile use while driving

AS MANY as 13% of drivers are still using hand-held mobile phones while at the wheel, according to a survey. And 4% have admitted to regularly sending or reading text messages while driving, the poll by road safety charity Brake and insurance company Direct Line showed. The number of people owning up to using hand-held mobiles at the wheel has fallen from 36% in 2006 to the current figure of 13%.

‘Why We Drive’ documentary looking for sponsors

Everyone who has a Netflix account, or uses a friend’s Netflix password, knows the documentary section is where all the action is. The only thing we’d ask for is a few more driving docs. And we hope that “Why We Drive” will enter the fray eventually, but SBR Productions needs a little help from enthusiasts.

Cut and shut: Ford builds Mustang on Empire State Building

The iconic Ford Mustang is 50 years old in 2014, and to celebrate Ford will be officially selling it in Europe for the first time ever. But in logistics terms, that’s nothing compared to this stunt: timed to coincide with the 2014 New York Motor Show, Ford has parked a new Mustang convertible on the observation deck of the Empire State Building. Not impressed?

The Hongqi L5 is the most expensive Chinese car you can buy

China's oldest car company rolled out its first vehicle on Aug. 1, 1958; it was a chrome-lined black sedan designed -- like the pastiche of 1950s cars it resembled, including the Packard-esque Chaika -- to strike equal amounts of fear and inspiration into the revolutionaries. In Chinese, "Hongqi" in means "red flag," the most potent symbol of the Chinese Communist Party, making it a fitting name for a company that supplied the apparatchik.

VW New Midsize Coupe (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 22 April 2014 16:47 VW has revealed a new nichemobile: the NMC, or New Midsize Coupe. Unveiled at the Beijing motor show, it’s a close-to-production concept car that takes VW into new territory: the C-segment four-door coupe class. Target?

Volkswagen Golf R 400 IS going in to production

The VW Golf R 400 (pictured) is going in to production Well, we did say the VW Golf R 400 – which debuted at the Beijing Motor Show last week – looked production ready. And it seems it is. Car and Driver have had confirmation from VW’s R&D boss, Heinz-Jakob Neusser, that the Golf R 400 isn’t a concept after all but the first look at a new extreme Golf.

Jaguar F-Type Coupe production starts & Jaguar R Performance Centres launch

José Mourinho gets the first Jaguar F-Type Coupe You would be forgiven for thinking the Jaguar F-Type Coupe is already roaming the roads in the hands of customers, such has been its profile in recent months, but you’d be wrong. However, Jaguar has now started serial production of the F-Type Coupe and the first man in line for a nice, shiny F-Type Coupe is José Mourinho, as we reported a couple of months ago. The ‘Special One’ was presented with his new car – in Stratus Grey with 20-inch Gyrodyne Black and Diamond Turned Wheels, Red Brake Calipers, Panoramic Glass Roof and Meridian Sound – by two of the F-Type manufacturing team from Castle Bromwich - Gary Johnson and Steven Gaut – at an event in London.

A Night at the Movies with Alex Xydias

“I started shooting movies when I stopped racing,” said original hot rod hero Alex Xydias. “When I had enough stuff I made this.” “This” is "The Hot Rod Story," a documentary shot by the man himself from about 1962 to 1964 at the drag strips, dry lakes and cruise-ins of the day. It's a movie shot in the style of, say, a Bruce Brown surf movie or a Warren Miller ski movie.

Citroen C-XR concept (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 22 April 2014 15:34 Citroen has unveiled its headline act of the 2014 Beijing motor show: the C-XR concept. It's a compact SUV (what else, these days) that's taller and more stout-looking then the cheeky little C4 Cactus lightweight. Officially a concept car, but looking only a set of numberplates away from showrooms, the C-XR is especially notable for being the first SUV co-developed between Citroen and its Chinese brand partner, Dongfeng motor corp.

One Lap of the Web: Russian dash-cam ghost machines

-- Brace yourselves, people: "Dynamic" is not the only marketing buzzword of the moment. Now there's "velocity," which makes sense if you think of cars designed to move forward in some form or another. It actually refers to how fast an auto dealer can get you a cup of coffee, a pat on the back and a signature on the dotted line, as Lindsay Chappelle of Automotive News explains.

2015 Ford Mustang GT features electronic line lock

Ford continues to add to the bag of tricks that will ship with the 2015 Mustang. On Monday, it announced new GTs will come equipped with an electronic line-lock function that keeps the front brakes engaged while you warm your rear tires. “Competition has been an integral part of the Ford Mustang lifestyle since its earliest days 50 years ago,” said Steve Ling, Ford car-marketing manager.

Morgan Plus 8 Speedster is a gorgeous, stripped-down centennial celebration

It doesn't take much to transform a Morgan from an already cool car to the coolest Morgan -- nay, the coolest car ever to traverse British B-roads. Chop the windshield, lose the luggage rack. Add Dunlop-style telephone dial alloys, paint 'em black.

Toyota Yaris Facelift revealed

The 2014 Toyota Yaris (pictured) gets a new look It’s only a few months since the Toyota Yaris got a series of updates for 2014, but despite that Toyota has rolled out a full facelift for the Yaris which will arrive in Toyota showrooms this summer. Building on the styling of the new Toyota Aygo, the new Yaris gets a cosmetic makeover on the exterior including the same cross shape nose with a central Toyota logo, new upper and lower grills, LED tail lights, diffuser in the back bumper and a new shape number plate surround. Inside, Toyota say they’ve invested a lot of work to make the cabin of the Yaris better and given it a greater feel of roominess and dynamic appeal, more choices of equipment and trim and a more upmarket feel.

Interior Motives China Conference 2014 – Day 1

The seventh edition of the Interior Motive's China Conference has just taken place in Beijing, ahead of the world's most important motor show and in the world's largest car market. The theme of this year's event, ‘Mobilising the new urban landscape' is extremely pertinent to anyone who has experienced the city's congestion and its air quality. During the event's two days, the presenters explored our future relationship with the automobile, from increasing levels of autonomous drive in our cars, to the varied definitions of the word luxury, and how that impacts on customer expectations right across the globe.

75,000 Irish drivers left uninsured after policy provider collapses

TENS OF thousands of motorists in Ireland have been warned their insurance policies may be useless after the collapse of an insurer. The Central Bank has urged policy holders with Setanta Insurance to switch their cover after the Malta-based company went into liquidation. It is believed as many as 75,000 motorists are insured by the firm in Ireland, which is popular among smaller businesses who use vans for their deliveries and trading.

Red-hot VW Golf R400 is headed for production

If you thought the Volkswagen Golf R400 concept displayed at the Beijing auto show seemed suspiciously like a real product -- you know, one you'll someday be able to buy rather than something trotted out to tease the world's enthusiasts -- you were on to something. VW says a production version of the car is in the works. We should clarify: We didn't get confirmation of that, exactly.

Britain’s most reliable cars revealed in 2014 Driver Power survey

UK car drivers are happier with their cars than ever before, according to a survey of over 50,000 motorists. The Driver Power survey by Auto Express found that the average satisfaction rating of a car in the top 100 was 88.36% - a rise of 7% compared to when the survey was launched in 2002. When completing the survey, owners are asked to rate their cars for factors from reliability to running costs and from comfort to ease of driving.

2015 Ford Mustang order guide leaked

The 2015 Ford Mustang order guide is now available to U.S. dealers. One dealer in particular took screenshots of all the order codes and posted them online, giving us a good look at the different options for the new 'Stang, revealing almost everything except the base price.

Jeep brings duo of remixed Cherokee concepts to Beijing

China has become and important market for a number of American automakers, and even though Jeep's partnership with local automotive companies goes back decades, it has always faced stiff competition from other brands in the SUV segment. Hoping that the debut of the new Cherokee will revitalize interest in the brand, Jeep has brought a number of concepts to the China auto show in Beijing this week. First up is the Jeep Cherokee Sageland concept, whose design theme and colors were inspired by historical landmarks and scenery of the Shangri-La region, with the SUV's exterior painted in ivory tri-coat pearl with bronze grille collars.

2015 Audi A3 wins World Car of the Year

The World Car of the Year awards were announced last Thursday at the New York auto show. Porsche, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all took top honors in different classes. It seems 'ze Germans know what makes judges tick.

Lincoln MKX concept revealed ahead of Beijing auto show

Lincoln has pulled the covers off its new MKX crossover concept, which is set for a global debut at the upcoming Beijing auto show. Following on the heels of the MKZ sedan and the 2015 MKC crossover, the redesigned MKX will be the third of four vehicles Lincoln says it will introduce by 2016 (the restyled Navigator doesn't count, apparently). Larger than the compact MKC, the MKX concept wears many of its smaller sibling's styling cues -- from the new split Lincoln grille to the lightly sculpted beltline to the upturned full-width taillights.

Lamborghini Aventador Nazionale debuts in Beijing

Lamborghini used the Beijing auto show to display some its Ad Personam wares on the Aventador LP 700-4. The Nazionale gets a coat of white paint that Lambo calls “bianco opalis” and Italian flag-inspired racing stripes up the middle. The interior leather is done in black and blue.

Hyundai ix25 Concept: Beijing Motor Show

The Hyundai ix25 (pictured) debuts in Beijing There’s been talk of a Hyundai ix25 for a couple of years now as the compact SUV market continues to grow and Hyundai’s smallest SUV offering remains the ix35. Now, Hyundai are getting set to remedy that gap in their range with the arrival of the Hyundai ix25 – as a concept – at the Beijing Motor Show, and looking much as you would expect – an ix35 with a few tweaks after a boil wash. At 4270mm long, the ix25 is about the same length as the new Mercedes A Class, but narrower and taller, and comes fitted with a 2.0 litre ‘Nu’ engine.

Citroen C-XR concept looks like Citroen’s take on the Peugeot 2008: Beijing Motor Show

The Citroen C-XR Concept (pictured) debuts in Beijing The Citroen DS 6WR was revealed last week as a new SUV heading for the Beijing Motor Show, but it turns out it’s not the only Citroen SUV making a debut in Beijing. The Citroen C-XR concept – a creation of the joint venture between Citroen and China’s Dongfeng – has also been revealed as a compact SUV / Crossover, and looks like the Citroen take on the Peugeot 2008. With styling that says more SUV than Crossover – added butch bits, wide chunky nose and a statement grill – the C-XR looks production-ready, and although Citroen has done what it can to make the C-XR look like a proper SUV it appears it won’t be getting 4WD.

Retracing Steve McQueen's Los Angeles in his Jaguar XKSS

In 1958, Steve McQueen bought this Jaguar XKSS from a local TV personality who kept it parked in a studio lot on Sunset Boulevard. McQueen cajoled his wife Nellie into writing a check for $5,000 -- today around $40,000 -- and became the third owner of XKSS chassis No. 713, a car that had originally been imported a year earlier by Jaguar North America.

The 12 best cars at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show

Despite a recession and government crackdowns on spending and corruption, China’s auto industry is charging ahead, pedal to the metal. For many brands, China represents a market where growth is the norm not the exception, with the world’s top brands building cars specifically for the country’s seemingly insatiable appetite for vehicles. MSN Cars trolled through the show’s seven massive floors to bring you the best new concepts and production cars.

MINI Paceman gets a (very slight) facelift: Beijing Motor Show

The 2014 MINI Paceman (pictured) gets a minor facelift Despite the all new MINI Hatch being revealed earlier this year, it’ll be a couple of years before the over-sized MINI Countryman gets replaced, which is why MINI recently revealed a facelift for the Countryman to keep it current. Logic says that if the Countryman is getting a facelift then so should its coupe sibling – the MINI Paceman – and MINI has duly obliged by revealing a very small series of updates for the 2014 / 2015 Paceman. In truth, this could be the last iteration of the Paceman we see as rumour has it MINI won’t be continuing with the Pacemena when the all new Countryman arrives in 2016, and they haven’t exactly gone overboard with the changes to the coupe Countryman either.