Blog on 2040Parts

BMW X3 facelift (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 05 February 2014 23:00 The revised BMW X3 plays spot-the-difference with, on the outside at least, BMW having done a pretty convincing job of turning it into an X5 lookalike. The new X3 goes on sale in June 2014, costing from £31k. The X3 has an all-diesel line-up, teamed with either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic.

Citroen C4 Cactus (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 05 February 2014 19:00 Well done to Citroen: its arch-funky Cactus crossover concept has makes it into production unscathed, ‘Airbumps’ and all. The production version’s called the Citroen C4 Cactus as it’s based on the C4 hatch, but it’s had the funk turned up to 11. If you’re arriving this late to the compact crossover party, you need to make a splash – good job the new C4 Cactus is head-turning enough to cause the Nissan Juke and Ford EcoSport nightmares.

Alcraft Motor Company crowns competition winners

If you’re looking at that picture above and thinking, “that looks like a smart Range Rover Evoque,” don’t worry – you’re not seeing things. It is indeed a ‘re-imagined’, restyled version of Land Rover’s luxury compact SUV, by Alcraft Motor Company competition winner Jed Sheahan. On Bing: see pictures of Alcraft Motor Company cars Find out how much a used Range Rover costs on Auto Trader Alcraft is a new British brand performing bespoke re-engineering and design projects on famous vehicles from Blighty.

New scheme lets drivers rent their cars out

Car owners can now make money by renting their vehicles when they’re not being used, using a new car rental scheme. The ‘easyCar Club’ venture lets drivers advertise their cars and matches them with people looking to rent a car for a short period. On Bing: see pictures of unusual hire cars Hertz offers supercar hire Although the service is now available nationwide, it was initially trialled in London – meaning many of the cars advertised are concentrated on the London area.

New VW Taigun SUV Concept moves production reality closer

The latest VW Taigun Concept (pictured) debuted in New Delhi The VW Taigun Concept – a new, very compact, SUV based on up! underpinnings – first made an appearance at the Sao Paulo Motor Show in Brazil in 2012 and looked to be not only convincing, but heading for production. By spring of 2013, VW’s Klaus Bishoff was saying the Taigun would go in to production and not just for emerging markets but for the UK and Europe too.

2015 Subaru Legacy photos leaked

The 2015 Subaru Legacy was scheduled to debut at the Chicago Auto Show this week, but press photos leaked early at a certain Aussie site. Down under it's called the Subaru Liberty. The new car takes some cues from the Legacy Concept we saw at the Los Angeles Auto Show, though many of the curved lines seem to have been pulled straight.

2013 Interior Motives School League Report

With the launch of the 2014 Interior Motives Student Design Awards last week, design tutors around the world once again have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on their school's teaching excellence by propelling their school to the top of the Car Design News-Interior Motives Schools league. Encourage your students to submit their entries before the deadline of April 25th and you greatly increase your chance of joining the teaching elite in this year's top ten league table. For more info on the competition and how to enter, click here.

Car sales skid in January; Mini, VW and Volvo biggest losers

U.S. light-vehicle sales, dampened by lower fleet shipments and severe winter weather across large chunks of the country, fell 3 percent in January. Among the biggest automakers, Nissan Motor Co.

Play Mustang pinball at the Chicago Auto Show

The Ford Mustang and pinball go together like peanuts and Cracker Jack. The two, far apart mechanically, blend seamlessly to become part of one iconic piece of Americana. Stern Pinball out of Melrose Park, Ill.

This is the most fuel-efficient pickup in America

The 2014 diesel-powered Ram 1500 pickup gets 28 mpg on the highway, the top rating for any pickup in the United States. The mileage ratings were announced today on the EPA's www.fueleconomy.gov Web site. The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is rated at 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg combined city and highway.

Will Audi's e-fuel replace gasoline and diesel?

From electric to ethanol and even hydrogen fuel cells, we’ve seen a lot of advancements in the automotive world when it comes to alternative fuel solutions. But Audi has a new technology up its sleeves in the form of synthetic e-fuel. Synthetically engineered e-fuel can replace gas and diesel, and so far Audi claims to be making significant strides in its performance and viability.

European car sales show signs of resurgence

New car sales in both France and Spain have risen for the fifth month in a row to January 2014, showing signs the European car market is on the up. The news is positive for Europe’s automotive sector, which has been in decline for six years. On Bing: see pictures of new cars for 2014 Find out how much a used car costs on Auto Trader Alongside the relative success in France and Spain – two of the biggest hit regions for new car sales following the global economic downturn – Italy also recorded positive results for new vehicle registrations.

New Mazda2 Colour Edition and Sport Colour Edition Limited Editions launch

New Mazda2 Sport Colour Edition (pictured) now on sale Another day, another special edition, this time from Mazda with a pair of Mazda2 limited edition – the New Mazda2 Colour Edition and Sport Colour Edition. Based on the Mazda2 SE AirCon 1.3 litre 75PS, the Colour Edition sports 11 additional bits of kit including Privacy glass, a pair of black door mirrors, 15″ dark grey alloys and a rear spoiler, with the interior getting treated to red piping for the black seat trim, leather steering wheel with gloss dark grey inserts, Bluetooth and body colour for the door trim and air vents. The Sport Colour Edition gets the more powerful 85PS version of the 1.3 litre and comes with 16″ dark grey alloys, Fogs, Sports headlamps, Sports styling kit with interior extras including a 6.1″ screen with SatNav and Bluetooth, trip computer, extra speakers, extra airbags, electric rear windows and a speed alarm.

2014 Honda Civic Natural Gas, Hybrid on sale this month

Buyers looking to up their mpg will have two more options beginning this month. The 2014 Honda Civic Hybrid goes on sale Wednesday, returning 45 mpg combined, while the 31-mpg 2014 Civic Natural Gas sedan will start selling in 37 states on Feb. 15.

Council parking ‘spy car’ gets speeding ticket

A council-owned ‘spy car’ designed to catch people parking their vehicles unlawfully has been snapped travelling over the speed limit. Dorset police officers recorded the parking enforcement camera car travelling at 36mph in a 30mph area, handing the driver a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points on their licence, according to the Bournemouth Echo. On Bing: see pictures of camera cars Cameras to catch illegal parking on the school run The speeder was given the option of attending a £110 speed awareness course, however, which could mean the motorist manages to evade the points.

New Mercedes C-Class UK pricing & specs revealed – costs from £26,855

The 2014 Mercedes C-Class (pictured) costs from £26,855 The new Mercedes C-Class for 2014 was revealed in December – looking like a proper baby S-Class – and now we get the specifications and prices for the UK market ahead of its arrival in Mercedes showrooms. To start, there will be just two engines available – 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol in the C200 and 2.1 litre four-cylinder diesel in the C220 BlueTec – and a choice of six-speed manual and 7-speed auto boxes and three trim levels – SE, Sport and AMG Line. Mercedes say the new C-Class will be the best equipped in its sector, and all models come with a touchpad to control the Infotainment functions, Climate, Media Interface and Artico upholstery.

Regent Street Motor Show to return for 2014

THE REGENT Street Motor Show is set to return to the streets of the capital this November, after organisers confirmed a date for the ultra-successful event. After the huge success of last year’s Show, once again the world-famous West End shopping street will be closed to traffic for what is now firmly established as the UK’s largest free-to-view motor show. In 2013, the traffic-free zone was extended to stretch from Piccadilly Circus right up to Oxford Circus for the very first time.

Qashqai fanatic nets limited edition number 0001

IF EVER there was someone who was fond of the Nissan Qashqai, it’s this man. Frankie Hipwell-Larkin, founder of the Qashqai Club online resource for owners of the popular crossover, has just taken delivery of a special new model of the car. He was fastest out of the blocks when the order books opened for the limited-run Qashqai Premier Limited Edition, and netted himself number 0001 of a planned 2007.

Ferrari 149M Project for Geneva Motor Show – looks like a California update

Ferrari Project 149M will be revealed on 12th February 2014 It’s was 2012 when Ferrari updated their entry-level car – the Ferrari California – with less weight, more power and a handling package, and it looks like they’re about to do the same again. Ferrari are trailing a reveal of ‘Project 149M’ for the 12th February – and a reveal at the Geneva Motor Show next month – which, although slightly cryptic sounding, does point firmly to a Ferrari California ‘Modificato’. The California has the internal product code ‘F149′ and Ferrari has a history of producing ‘Modificato’ or ‘M’ versions of their road cars to move the game on – think Ferrari 575M.

'Talking cars' in US safety drive

NEW CARS and light trucks may be fitted with technology that lets vehicles communicate with each other in a bid to avoid deadly crashes. A radio beacon would continually transmit a vehicle's position, heading, speed and other information. Cars would receive the same information back from other vehicles, and a vehicle's computer would alert the driver to an impending collision.

Keeley Hawes in taxi-driver mystery

ACTRESS Keeley Hawes has told of a "frightening" incident which took place on her way to the Belfast set of BBC drama Line Of Duty. The Ashes To Ashes actress stars as Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton in the police drama. But she said that she had to ask a real, high-ranking officer to look into what had happened after she flew into Belfast Airport last July.

Elegant Venue Chosen To Host Equally Elegant And Rare Cars

FLUSHED with the success of its first two award-winning Concours of Elegance events in recent years, Thorough Events has announced grand plans for its 2014 spectacular. Following on from Windsor Castle and St James’s Palace, 2014 will see event in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace. The third international Concours of Elegance will take place on 5-7 September 2014, with the promise of 60 of the rarest cars from around the world - many of them never seen before in this country.

Mystery Mercedes 600 six-door Landaulet heads to auction

There are ambitious project cars, and then there is this: a 1971 Mercedes-Benz600 Six-Door Pullman Landaulet that'll be offered at RM Auctions' Retromobile sale in Paris on Feb. 5. One of just 26 built, this example was recently rescued from the state motor pool of an unnamed African country with the consignor unwilling to reveal the car's exact provenance.

One Lap of the Web: Diesels, Deadmau5, Excalibur and Excelsior!

-- It's the 50th anniversary of Excalibur, the company with fine craftsmen who keep the neoclassical motoring dream alive, or in some vaguely zombielike semblance thereof. And while the Excalibur's retro vibes arose from the mausoleum of the Mercedes-Benz SSK, Hemmings has discovered Brooks Stevens's other neoclassic: the Excalibur 35X, meant to look like a Bugatti Type 35. Just 27 were built in Italy on the chassis of Opel Commodores, fitted with inline-sixes.

Ferrari teases next California

Ferrari is set to reveal a new, or possibly improved, vehicle on Feb. 12. It will be the world premiere of the “149M Project”, which Internet rumors have pegged as a (M)odified version of the current California drop-top.

More Teslas make electric migration

Last week, the father-daughter team of John and Jill Glenney completed the first cross-country drive in a Tesla using the company's new network of Superchargers to refuel. Yesterday, a pair of Tesla Model S sedans driven by a rotating squadron of 15 company employees set what they hope will be an electric record for cross-country travel. That team arrived in New York City Sunday morning Feb.

Sinkhole swallows family car

A 30FT DEEP sinkhole has opened up in the driveway of a house in Buckinghamshire and swallowed up a family's car. Firefighters were called to the property in Main Road, Walter's Ash, High Wycombe, at 8.32am on Sunday where they found the hole which is 15ft in diameter. No-one was inside the Volkswagen Lupo when the hole opened up.

Renault toasts triple anniversary

IT’S A BIRTHDAY bonanza for Renault this week, with three important anniversaries set to be celebrated at the Rétromobile Show in Paris. It’s 30 years since the debut of the Espace people-carrier, and although the model isn’t sold in the UK any more it still has a cult following across Europe. Each of the four versions makes up part of Renault’s installation.

Brit success story Prodrive celebrates 30 years

BRITISH race and rally specialist Prodrive is celebrating 30 years of putting drivers on the top step of the podium. The Banbury-based company first entered motorsport in January 1984 when it competed in the Qatar International Rally with a Porsche 911 SC RS. This car was driven by Saeed Al Hajri and the same car went on to be campaigned by Henri Toivenen in the European Rally Championship.

'Selfless' motorway victim hailed

THE FAMILY of a Good Samaritan who was killed after coming to the aid of another man on a motorway have describe him as "generous and selfless". Spencer Bell, 71, from Bushey, Hertfordshire, had stopped to assist a man who had fallen from the Bucknalls bridge over the M1 near junction 5 at about 10.45am yesterday when he was struck by a vehicle. Hertfordshire Police confirmed the man who fell from the bridge was Alan Trethewey, 67, from Watford.