Blog on 2040Parts

Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing arrives in the UK – just 10 at £29,305

The Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing arrives in the UK The Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing arrived at Goodwood last summer as a concept, but after the production run of the DS3 Racing a cabrio version seemed a certainty for production. That production run for the DS3 Cabrio Racing was confirmed by Citroen in December and now it’s going on sale in the UK. With all the extra grunt of the DS3 Racing – 207bhp from its 1.6 litre THP engine, enough for 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 145mph – and a raft of changes from a regular DS3 including sports exhaust, wider track, revised steering, uprated brakes and switchable ESC, the DS3 Cabrio Racing promises real hot-hatch fun in the sunshine.

Volvo cars will be able to tell if you're driving tired

Volvo is currently testing in-car sensors that can monitor driver alertness -- ones that can determine if the driver is becoming tired and inattentive. A number of simple systems that basically generate warnings after a certain period of nonstop driving are now available in cars. They take into account the average speed and time elapsed since the vehicle was started.

Footballer dangerous driving trial

A FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE footballer is to go on trial today charged with dangerous driving after a three-car crash left a motorist with a fractured elbow. Ex-Sheffield United striker Marlon King is alleged to have committed the offence on his 33rd birthday while driving a Porsche Panamera on the A46 in Nottinghamshire last April. A 35-year-old man was airlifted to hospital after the collision at Winthorpe, near Newark, which was witnessed by an off-duty police officer on the afternoon of April 26.

911 GT3 recall update: Porsche reportedly replacing all engines

Porsche recalled all 785 2014 GT3s on the road last month for an unexplained problem that could cause the engine to catch fire. The company told owners to stop driving the cars immediately. Two vehicles in Europe caught fire after engine damage occurred.

New Peugeot 308 production increased to meet demand

Peugeot are increasing production of the new 308 to meet demand The new Peugeot 308 arrived in the UK in January – although it’s been on sale in Europe since last year – and it’s a decent effort from Peugeot. In fact, even though we didn’t think it was the best choice, the new 308 took the European Car of the Year Award at the Geneva Motor Show last week, a decision that’s probably been credibility by the apparent popularity of the new 308. Since the 308 went on sale late last year, Peugeot has managed to shift more than 60,000, so with the new 308 SW (Estate) about to go on sale Peugeot is ramping up production to meet current and expected demand by adding a third shift at its Sochaux Plant, creating 600 new jobs in the process.

Audi reveals TV spots for A3

Audi has revealed a few TV ads for its newest A3 sedan, which we reviewed last week. The one-minute, 30-second and 15-second spots feature comedian Ricky Gervais, chef David Chang, photojournalist Lynsey Addario, comedian Kristen Schaal, boxer Clarissa Shields, street artists Cyrcle and church choir Voices of Destiny. The company is building off its “Stay Uncompromised” theme that debuted during the Super Bowl.

Is Chrysler still American? Yes, it is

Last week, we mentioned that the Secret Service was soliciting bids for a new presidential limousine. Among the criteria for a replacement for "The Beast" was the following: "This solicitation is restricted to Major Domestic U.S Automobile Manufacturers, who have their primary headquarters located in the United States of America." Well, with that came the suggestion that Chrysler -- now entirely underneath the banner of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles -- reports to somewhere far, far away from its nominal H.Q. in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Car ban hits drivers in polluted Paris

The French government has imposed a ban on driving cars in Paris to help reduce the growing pollution problem in the country’s capital that’s spiralling out of control. From today, Monday 17 March 2014, drivers with ‘odd’ and ‘even’ registration plates will only be allowed to drive in the city every other day respectively. This could cut the amount of traffic in the city by half overnight - although reports suggest many drivers plan to flout the rules and swallow the 22-euro fine for breaking the new regulations.

Hyundai revises fuel-economy numbers downward again

Hyundai revamped its fuel numbers on its Sonata sedan on March 4, and on Monday it issued an apology for misleading buyers. This is the second time in two years the company has needed to make amends for false numbers. Hyundai said the original number on its Sonata was 12.6 km per liter, which translates to 29.6 mpg.

Race Is On For Leaf Owners To Reach Billion Kilometres

JAPANESE car maker Nissan is preparing the ground for a milestone celebration, as drivers of its popular Leaf electric vehicle race towards the billion kilometre mark. Nissan is creating a series of animated stories centring on the experiences of selected owners to mark the event. For example, Roberto, from Valladolid, narrates his own story as the first taxi driver in Spain to buy a Leaf, explaining that since buying the car in October 2011 he has covered over 100,000 km and eliminated three quarters of his running costs.

Honday Odyssey minivan recalled due to fire risk

Honda is recalling some 886,815 Odyssey minivans manufactured between 2005 and 2010, citing a risk of fire due to a possible fuel leak. The cause of the recall, which was announced on the NHTSA website on March 13, is a a cover on the fuel pump strainer which Honda believes can deteriorate and crack. The manufacturer stated that the fault can lead to a fuel smell or to a fuel leak which would pose a risk of fire.

Jaguar XK66 is Germany’s farewell to the XK

The Jaguar XK66 (pictured) is Jaguar’s pricey goodbye to the XK in Germany We know that Jaguar is ending production of the XK this summer, and the UK already has its run-out special editions in the guise of the Jaguar XK Signature and XK Dynamic R. And now it’s the turn of Germany to get a goodbye XK. The Jaguar XK66 is a limited run XK – just 66 are being built – with the ’66′ moniker referring to the 66 years since the introduction of the XK’s earliest direct ancestor – the Jaguar XK120.

Audi A3 saloon gets the Ricky Gervais treatment for USA (video)

Ricky Gervais (pictured) fronts a new advertising campaign for the Audi A3 in the USA Audi of America has launched an advertising campaign for the new Audi A3 saloon featuring Ricky Gervais and a soundtrack of Queen’s ‘We are the Champions. Which doesn’t seem the most logical fit. But it seems the theme of the new Campaign for the A3 is ‘Uncompromised’, and Ricky Gervais – especially with his hosting antics at the Globes – is considered a man who sticks to what he believes, without compromise.

Meet the new Goodyear blimp -- er, airship

A new blimp comes around only once in a while, and Goodyear slowly replacing its fleet is cause for fanfare. These new airships, as yet unnamed, will fly farther, go faster and carry more people than ever before -- and none of it would be possible without help from the Germans. This newest airship is a collaboration between Goodyear and ZLT Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik -- yes, of that Zeppelin fame -- and the partnership has historical precedent.

Learners can vet driving instructors

A NEW SYSTEM of grading driving instructors will help learner drivers choose the best possible tutor. The new system awards driving instructors a simple A or B grade or a fail should their ability not meet the required standard. All qualified driving instructors have their standards of teaching checked at least once every four years to ensure they deliver the right training to new drivers.

Italian design house Bertone nearing bankruptcy

The Italian design house Bertone is reportedly nearing bankruptcy again, according to a report from Autocar. The carrozzeria has experienced financial problems in 2008 and 2013, and even though it generated more than €20 million, or approximately $28 million, last year, the company reportedly laid off 160 employees recently. At least 30 workers who have been laid off have taken action against the company, seeking to recover monies owed to them.

Flooded-out car for sale on eBay

A SUBMERGED CAR that was abandoned because of flooding on the Somerset Levels has been put for sale on eBay. Hubert Zajaczkowski, 21, was forced to leave his Seat Toledo on a road near the village of Muchelney on Christmas Eve because of the rising water. For weeks, the five-door silver petrol car remained stranded under several feet of water, filmed and photographed by national and international media and press as an illustration of the disaster unfolding in Somerset.

Vauxhall to launch sub-£7k city car

Vauxhall is believed to be working on a budget city car to rival the Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1 trio unveiled earlier this month at Geneva. According to Auto Express, the new small hatchback will be based on the Chevrolet Spark platform and will start at less than £7,000 – undercutting the firm’s current Adam model by over £4,000. On Bing: see pictures of Vauxhall city cars Find out how much a used Vauxhall costs on Auto Trader If you’re expecting a bland box on wheels like the Agila, don’t fear – as Vauxhall has reportedly said the new car will “have its own distinct personality”.

Mercedes-Benz considering Aston Martin buyout

Mercedes-Benz is reportedly considering a deal to buyout sports car manufacturer Aston Martin, which would increase the firm’s current 5% stake in the British brand. Following a deal to supply AMG engines to Aston for its next generation of vehicles (hence the current 5% share), a buyout or even further investment in Aston Martin could be beneficial to both brands. On Bing: see pictures of the Aston Martin Lagonda SUV concept Find out how much a used Aston Martin costs on Auto Trader With Mercedes technical expertise and existing model range, it opens up potential new models to Aston Martin.

New car emissions lowest ever

THE AVERAGE CAR in the UK now emits an average of 128.3g/km, the lowest ever and almost 30% less than in 2000. This means the UK has exceeded the target set by the European Union for average CO2 emissions of 130g/km by 2015. The next target is 95g/km that is set for 2020.

Grand Day Out Promised To Celebrate Mitsubishi UK’S 40th Year

MITSUBISHI in the UK has set out its plans to celebrate a landmark anniversary, as it’s 40 years since the company started importing cars. To mark the occasion the firm is organising a tour for 60 vehicles manufactured before 2001, taking place on Saturday 31st May. The tour will start and finishes at Rendcomb Airfield in Gloucestershire.

Top Gear Tonight: Burma Road Trip part 2

Top Gear continues its Road Trip across Burma tonight In best Top Gear tradition, series 21 ended up just five episodes long, with last weeks episode being the first part of the Top Gear Christmas Special road trip through Burma. Tonight’s Top Gear – which you can think of as episode 7 of series 21 – is part two of the much delayed 2013 Christmas Special with the boys picking up where they left off last week, heading through Burma on the way to Thailand and the River Kwai. Having got to grips with their less than cutting edge lorries and suffered the Burmese equivalent of truckers’ overnight truck stops, Clarkson, May and Hammond are now heading further in to uncharted territory – certainly for Western Media – as they head towards Thailand and the River Kwai.

Australian Grand Prix (2014): RESULT

The 2014 Australian Grand Prix gets underway It’s all new cars for the first Grand Prix of the 2014 F1 season in Melbourne, but the expectation was that Mercedes would dominate, with Lewis Hamilton sitting on pole and Nico Rosberg sitting third, separated by Red Bull’s new boy, Daniel Ricciardo. In fact, because of engine problems, Hamilton was sidelined from the start and down to fourth by the first corner, with Rosberg making the most of his team mate’s woes and storming through to take the lead, a lead he kept until the end for a dominant win in Melbourne. Behind Hamilton, home boy Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull managed to make the 2014 Red Bull car look immensely promising to take second place, a welcome boost for the troubled Red Bull team, even if world champion Sebastian Vettel suffered the same fate as Hamilton, retiring with engine problems.

Australian Grand Prix Qualifying: Hamilton takes pole for Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton taking pole position for the 2014 Australian Grand Prix It’s all change for 2014 in the world of F1, with new turbo V6 engines making funny noises and new nose cones looking as odd as the engines sound. But one thing hasn’t changed – it’s Mercedes and Red Bull fighting for the front. Lewis Hamilton took a stunning pole in tricky, wet conditions on the last lap of final qualifying to edge out the Red Bull in to second spot.

Kamui Kobayashi canes the Caterham 620 R

After spending a year in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi has returned to Formula One, nabbing a seat with Caterham. And while Sebastian Vettel is stuck hawking SUVs for Infiniti, part of Kobayashi's duties include flogging the manufacturer's latest evolution of Colin Chapman's bare-bodkin brainchild, the Seven 620R at Silverstone. We anxiously await the inevitable follow-up video where Kobayashi takes the legally-a-keicar Seven 160 for a blat in Tokyo traffic.

BMW M4 Convertible to debut in New York next month

The BMW M4 Convertible will join the M4 (pictured) with a NY debut in April BMW has pretty much finished rolling out its replacement for the 3 Series Coupe – the BMW 4 Series – with both the coupe and convertible 4-Series, the new M4 and even the 4-Series Gran Coupe all revealed. All that’s left is the range-topping 4-Series – the new BMW M4 Convertible. But that all all change next month with the M4 Convertible making its debut at the New York Auto Show before going on sale in Q3 2014.

Owner gets sunken car back

A SUBMERGED CAR that was abandoned because of flooding on the Somerset Levels has been reunited with its owner. Hubert Zajaczkowski, 21, was forced to leave his Seat Toledo on a road near the village of Muchelney on Christmas Eve because of the rising water. For weeks, the car remained stranded under several feet of water, filmed and photographed by national and international media and press as an illustration of the disaster unfolding in Somerset.

One Lap of the Web: The LAPD gets a Gallardo and this Honda watches you

-- Combining Los Angeles' proud traditions of flashy cars and breathlessly exciting high-speed pursuits, the Los Angeles Police Department has picked up a sweet new ride: a Lamborghini Gallardo, which its Air Support Team has thoughtfully given a fresh coating of black-and-white. The Gallardo was donated by Nathalie and Travis Marg of downtown LA-based telecom company Light Source 1 Inc. as a charitable contribution, because a nice tax write-off is always more fun than the alternative -- dropping five figures and a firstborn son on a

F1 2014: the six big engine questions

By Tom Clarkson First Official Pictures 14 March 2014 11:30 The workload has never been greater for Formula One’s 11 teams. They’re finalising preparations for the biggest shake-up in F1's technical regulations this century. A new engine formula for 2014 will see the current 2.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 replaced by a turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 with a much greater dependency on energy recovery (ERS).

Trains cancelled over broken-down taxi

TRAINS were cancelled after a taxi carrying the ticket conductors broke down on the way to the station - and health and safety policy bans them walking. London Midland yesterday told passengers it was cancelling two of its services from Birmingham New Street station in the city centre after the breakdown happened during what is usually a short journey by foot from nearby Snow Hill station. However, the rail operator has said its own safety policy bars the uniformed conductors from getting to the station on foot because they are carrying their ticket machines and cash from the days' takings.