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Ford Figo Saloon Concept is the new KA Concept with a boot

The Ford Figo Saloon Concept (pictured) debuts in India The Ford Figo is a last generation Ford Fiesta built for emerging markets in India, but this new Ford Figo Concept appears to be a next generation Ford KA with a boot. Looking just like the new Ford KA Concept from Brazil – which got a European outing in Barcelona in December - the Figo Concept is a next-generation Ford KA with a an extra bit on the back and aimed at emerging markets. That ‘emerging markets’ aim seems clear when one of the major selling points, according to Ford, is the flexible architecture of the power door mirrors that makes it far less likely the mirror will be ripped off when hit by a passing car.

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.

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.

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.

'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.

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.

Mercedes AMG had its best ever year in 2013 – sales up 40 per cent in the UK

Record sales in 2013 for Mercedes AMG AMG is becoming more and more important to Mercedes, not just in numbers sold but in the performance glow AMG versions of Mercedes cars cast across the whole range. And those numbers of AMG Mercedes sold reached new highs in 2013 with AMG reporting sales of 32,200, the biggest ever total from Mercedes performance division. AMG’s three key markets – the UK, US and Germany – all posted record sales, but it was the UK that saw the biggest growth with sales up by 40 per cent (up 20 per cent ion the US and 10 per cent in Germany).

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.

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.

New BMW 4-series Gran Coupé: OFFICIAL

The BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe (pictured) has been officially revealed The new BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe leaked out yesterday ahead of an official reveal by BMW, but that leak has prompted BMW to action and we get the official reveal today, probably sooner than BMW had intended. Looking like a shrunken 6-Series Gran Coupe – and visually similar to the 3-Series saloon too – the 4 Series Gran Coupe gets a liftback tailgate similar to the 3-Series Gran Turismo to differentiate the 4-Series Gran Coupe from the 3-Series saloon and add to its appeal. The profile is more swoopy too with a short glasshouse, smaller frameless rear doors and comes in 14mm longer and wider – and 40mm lower – than the 3-Series, and gets the same chassis as the 4-Series Coupe with a wheelbase of 2810mm.

Renault Zoe EV gets cheaper – but only if you hardly use it

Renault Zoe EV (pictured) battery lease dropes to £45 a month The Renault ZOE eEV is one of the most affordable electric cars in the UK, with prices from £13,345 (after tax-payer bribe) plus a monthly cost for leasing the batteries from Renault. A bit like buying an ICE car and paying a monthly lease for the engine. But despite the Zoe’s ‘affordable EV’ tag, Renault has not had overwhelming success with the Zoe in the UK since it arrived last year, so they’ve come up with some new incentives to get car buyers to opt for their electric supermini.

New Micra Gets The Limited Edition Treatment

HOT ON the heels of launching its latest generation Qashqai, Nissan is shining the spotlight on its Micra supermini. The Japanese car maker has announced a new special version of its Micra - called the Limited Edition. Based on the mid-range Acenta model, the Limited Edition model features a host of visual changes to boost the recently revised and updated supermini.

Top Gear Tonight: 1980s Hot Hatches and Hugh Bonneville is SIARPC

Top Gear is back tonight with the first episode in Series 21 Sunday nights haven’t been the same without Top Gear, but it’s back tonight – Sunday 2nd February 2014 – with the first episode of series 21. Yes, Top gear comes of age. As the series unfolds we’ll see the usual mix of supercars and mayhem, old trucks and tanks, but tonight’s main item is on 1980s hot hatches.

Aston Martin DB Junior Convertible is a fully functioning, petrol-powered toy Aston (video)

The Aston martin DB Junior Convertible (pictured) – for the child who has everything If you’re an Aston Martin fan and you have children there’s now the perfect way to get them on-side with your love of Astons- buy them the Aston Martin DB Junior Convertible from Aston Heritage dealers Nicholas Mee & Co. For a not insignificant £16,500 (thankfully including VAT) Nicholas Mee will give you a fully functioning, petrol-powered toy Aston Martin Db Convertible with composite coachwork, leather or vinyl upholstery, a wood-rimmed steering wheel and hydraulic disc brakes. The Db Juniot measure 2500mm long and is 1030mm wide and gets its power from a 110cc four-stroke engine, complete with electric start, which can get the DB Junior to 46mph (although you can restrict it) and comes with proper grown-up car stuff like Brembo disc brakes, 3-speed semi-auto ‘box, indicators and lights.

BMW 4-series Gran Coupe: First look

BMW has revealed the new 4-series Gran Coupe, over a month before it is due to make its public debut at the Geneva motor show. The introduction extends BMW's new 4-series lineup to three individual models, joining the recently introduced 4-series Coupe and Cabriolet in move similar to that taken by rival Audi with the A5, which also comes in Coupe, Cabriolet and Sportback guises. All three 4-series models share the same front-end styling.

BMW 4-series Gran Coupe (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 01 February 2014 23:01 BMW has either just created the next big thing, or officially run out of ideas. This is the 4-series Gran Coupe. Of course, it’s not actually a coupe at all – it has four doors – but being part of the 4-series family, it’s sleeker than the 3-series saloon.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014) full details, price and pics

Already confused about the new BMW 3 Series and 4 Series range structure? Prepare to become even more boggled, as BMW has now officially revealed the new 4 Series Gran Coupe. Which is a five-door version of the two-door 4 Series Coupe that shares underpinnings with the four-door 3 Series Saloon, and looks from some angles like the slimmer, fitter brother of the five-door 3 Series GT.

BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe revealed – looking very like the 3-Series Saloon

The first photos of the new BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe arrive The BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe looks like a four-door stretched version of the 6-Series, as it should, And it works; it’s a simply brilliant car. But we always wondered how BMW were going to differentiate the 4-Series Gran Coupe from the already existing 3-Series, which is already a 4-door saloon version of the new 4-Series Coupe. And if the leaked photos of the new 4-Series Gran Coupe are anything to go by, the answer is – not by a lot.

Next generation MINI Countryman to arrive in 2016

The next generation MINI Countryman to arrive in 2016 (current model pictured) We’ve recently had the arrival of the all new MINI, and the next year or so will see the roll-out of a succession of takes on the new MINI. But that process of building a MINI for every possible niche won’t complete until the MINI Countryman (and its coupe sibling, the MINI Paceman) are replaced. That now looks likely to happen in 2016 as, according to Automotive News, BMW is to end production of the MINI Countryman and Paceman at Magna Steyr in Austria in 2016 and move production of the Countryman and Paceman to Oxford and the new MINI Plant in the Netherlands.

Classic Ferrari becomes most expensive car ever sold in UK

This 1957 Ferrari 250 TR – or Testarossa – has just become the most expensive car ever sold in the UK outside of an auction. The exact figure paid is undisclosed, but is said to be in excess of the previous record-holder, a Ferrari 250 GTO that sold for £22.5 million in 2012. Yes folks, if you’ve got the cash, classic Ferraris are where it’s at in the investment world right now.

Formula One class of 2014: the official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 31 January 2014 11:30 The 2014 Formula One season is only weeks away. With 2.4-litre V8 engines in the bin and turbocharged 1.6-litre V6s with twice the electrical boost power powering the racers, a controverdial triple-points rule in Abu Dhabi, and wild-looking new nosecones thanks to the latest FIA crash regulations, the class of 2014’s machines are the most radically different F1 cars in decades. If the old adage of a pretty car being a winning car rings true this season, we suspect Sauber, Red Bull and Marussia will squabble for the title, with Caterham surprised to see themselves battling Lotus and Toro Rosso at the back of the field.

New Mercedes V-Class MPV revealed

The new Mercedes V-Class MPV (pictured) offers a more car-like experience The new Mercedes V-Class is the replacement for the Mercedes Viano, and Mercedes hope potential buyers will view it as a luxury MPV with proper Mercedes passenger car appeal but with room for up to eight passengers. It seems likely Mercedes are also hoping the new V-Class will attract former buyers of the now defunct R-Class, families who’ve outgrown a family car and business users too. If you can get over looks that still say ‘Van with Windows’ despite a complete makeover from the Viano (although the Viano Vision Diamond offered a very upmarket look and fittings), Mercedes should be in with a fighting chance of hitting the mark with the new V-Class.

How the Nissan Qashqai reinvented the family car

The 2014 Nissan Qashqai (above) arrived in showrooms this week, but will the second-generation model be as groundbreaking as the first? Inevitably, the all-new Qashqai looks very similar to the outgoing model, but why change a winning formula? The original Qashqai was, arguably, the most successful new family car launch since the original Volkswagen Golf from 1974. And it came out of the blue, because Nissan was perhaps the last company anyone would have expected to come up with such a revolutionary design.

Hot laps: BMW 435i vs M3 winter tyre test 3

By Ben Barry First Official Pictures 31 January 2014 08:50 How much difference can winter tyres make to your car’s performance and safety? In snowy conditions, choosing between winter and summer tyres is like choosing between crampons and slippers, but plenty of British winters pass with barely a flake touching the ground. So it’s understandable that most of us are reluctant to fork out for winter tyres.

Top Indian cars fail crash safety tests

SEVERAL of India's most popular small cars have failed independent crash tests, a global car safety watchdog said. David Ward, head of the London car-safety watchdog Global NCAP, which performed the crash tests, said the car industry in India lacked adequate safeguards. Four of five small cars popular on the Indian market last year, including the famous Tata Nano, failed the crash tests.

Top 10 cars recalled for safety issues in 2013

A total of 850,000 cars were recalled in Britain last year, according to figures released by the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (Vosa). A recall takes place when a car manufacturer becomes aware of a safety-related defect involving one of its cars. Here, using the figures from Vosa, MSN Cars highlights the most recalled cars of 2013, before going on to list the results by manufacturer.

Campaign To Encourage Switch To Low Emissions Motoring Launched

IN A bid to boost consumer awareness of the increasing numbers of low emissions vehicles entering the market, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP has helped to launch a new promotional campaign. Backed by some of the automotive world's biggest players - BMW, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Vauxhall – the 12-month long ‘Go Ultra Low' campaign will prompt car buyers to consider the benefits of pure electric, plug-in hybrid and extended-range vehicles with information about their low running costs, ease of charging and impressive range. Consumers will be directed to new website, (www.GoUltraLow.com) offering information about owning and running such vehicles, the makes and models available and the locations of the thousands of publicly available electricity charging points.

Low-mile Corvette stunner one of many at Florida auction

Sometimes we have to wonder about the rationality of those who squirrel low-mileage cars away for decades. It leads us to ask, why? Why make so much of an investment in a car if its very intention is not to be driven?

Schumacher being taken out of coma

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER is being slowly brought out of his induced coma but a leading neurosurgeon has warned it remains too soon to determine his long-term prognosis. Seven-times Formula One world champion Schumacher, 45, has spent the last month in the University of Grenoble hospital fighting for his life after sustaining brain injuries following a skiing accident in the resort of Meribel. Concern was growing as to whether he would ever make a recovery, or even wake again, but manager Sabine Kehm has now provided official confirmation that steps are under way to bring him out of his coma following the accident on December 29.

New Mercedes-Benz V-Class (2014): world’s most luxurious MPV

Not often we get excited about a van-based people carrier, but in the case of the brand new 2014 Mercedes-Benz V-Class MPV we will make a worthy exception. Unveiled at a swanky do last night, the new V-Class replaces the Viano, and in the process becomes the most luxurious factory built eight-seater MPV we have ever seen. Seriously – there’s tech from the latest Mercedes S-Class in here.