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Top Gear Series 21: The tease begins, but when does the new series of Top Gear start?

Top Gear Series 21 – the tease begins (video below) The new series of Top Gear – Series 21 – is due to start some time soon, although exactly when is still a little in doubt as the BBC are staying tight-lipped. That said, they have released the first – very short – tease video (below) for the new series with Jeremy Clarkson sitting in what looks like a VW up! moaning about the number of lorries he’s encountering.

Dacia Duster SUV leads Dacia in to record-breaking first year UK sales

The new Dacia Duster (pictured) should add to Dacia’s impressive sales We’ve all become aware that the car market in the UK has polarised, with mainstream makers struggling to keep their market share and premium and budget brands growing sales strongly. But despite that, no one really thought that Dacia – Renault’s budget brand – could create a significant market for itself with its “Shockingly Affordable” range of cars. But it has.

Concept Car of the Week: Toyota EX-1 (1969)

Back in the 60s, Toyota launched a few iconic sports cars such as the 800 and the gorgeous 2000 GT. Not happy to have created automotive perfection with the latter, the Japanese brand went on to explore even more extravagant shapes and unveiled the first of the EX concepts series in 1969. While its bold lines are truly Japanese, the EX-1 looked like the missing link between the fast silhouette of a 1967 Maserati Ghibli and the hairy-chested heft of a Dodge Challenger.

Lincoln Quicksilver Ghia concept heads to auction

Next week at the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Fla., bidders will get a chance to take home something truly unique, a Lincoln Quicksilver concept car created by Carrozzeria Ghia in 1983. This radical concept was created at a time when Ghia was a division of the Ford Motor Company. The concept itself debuted in one place where the Lincoln brand was, ahem, somewhat underappreciated: the Geneva Auto Show.

New watch alert: Fiero

We've featured some pretty fancy lifestyle successories around here, but until today, we hadn't been able to find anything that captures the spirit of the mighty Pontiac Fiero. But today is a new day. Thanks to the miracles of modern shipping, we're able to order this little beauty straight from Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Audi unveils armored A8L Security

While unveiling the Allroad E-Tron Shooting Brake at the Detroit Auto Show, Audi also quietly debuted the A8L Security version of its new range-topping sedan this week, armored to the highest level of ballistic protection for passenger cars. The A8L Security is based on the facelifted version of Audi's third-generation A8 sedan, and this armored version will be available both with Audi 4.0 TFSI V8 engine and the 6.0-liter W12. Audi set out to design the current A8L with building an armored version in mind, as opposed to the first-generation A8 of the 1990s which was not offered in Security specification until very late in the product cycle.

David Brown Automotive promising a new luxury British sports car

David Brown Automotive promising a new luxury British sports car The name David Brown Automotive conjures up images of the man whose initials still give us the Aston Martin DB9 – former tractor builder David Brown who bought up Aston Martin in 1947 (and subsequently Lagonda and Tickford). But this David Brown Automotive is actually a new company which promises to “…refresh the classic British sports car, for the 21st Century” with a vision for a new luxury take on the classic British Sports Car. David Brown has put together a team lead by Alan Mobberley – who was  Chief Designer at Land Rover until 2005 and cropped up recently as the designer for Eterniti Motors – and has commissioned Envisage Group (the firm that bought up what was left of CPP after Vladimir Antonov’s exploits and who are building the glorious Lyonheart E-Type) to bring his dreams to life.

Buy a 50th Anniversary FIA 289 Shelby Cobra today

By 1964, Shelby had grown too big for its American britches with its 289 Cobra. It had dominated almost every single race of the United States Road Racing Championship for the past three years, defeating its archrival Corvette at every turn. Two Cobras had been entered in the 1963 Le Mans; one did not finish, but the entry entered by AC Cars, with Stirling Moss running the team, placed sixth overall.

Motorists Still Paying A High Price At The Pumps

THE LATEST report from the AA highlights the depressing fact that motorists continue to cough up when filling up at the pumps. According to the motoring organisation, average petrol prices at the pumps are staying "stubbornly above" 130p a litre despite discounts in many areas. While a number of fortunate motorists have been getting petrol for around 128p a litre of late, the average price nationwide is 130.46p a litre, the AA said.

Rolls Royce had its most successful year EVER in 2013

Rolls Royce has its most successful year EVER in 2013 The 110th anniversary of Rolls Royce in 2013 is a record in itself, but RR have capped that by delivering a set of sales figures that are the best ever. Big sales growth across the glove saw sales in the Middle East rise by 17 per cent, China by 11 per cent and strong sales in other markets like Germany, Japan and Canada, with China and the US remaining the most significant markets. Those extra sales have been helped by the network of Rolls Royce dealers rising to a record 120 with a further 15 new dealerships added in 2013 and more planned for 2014.

RCA team helps develop all-electric London taxi proposal

The Royal College of Art's Vehicle Design program and the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design have collaboratedwith Turkish car manufacturer Karsan to develop a proposal for the first all-electric London taxi. An RCA team – co-led by Professor Dale Harrow and the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design's deputy director Rama Gheerawo – has been working with Karsan and its consultancy Hexagon Studio for over a year and to develop a public transport vehicle to suit Londoners of all ages and abilities. The team analyzed a current London taxi in a ‘co-creation workshop' and conducted interviews with taxi drivers, which showed many are over 65 and frequently spend the entire working day inside their cabs.

Men 'twice as likely to fall asleep while driving'

MEN ARE more than twice as likely to fall asleep at wheel while driving and almost half (45%) admit to having experienced 'warning nods' while driving. One in 14 drivers surveyed by safety charity Brake said they had actually fallen asleep when driving, while 45% of men said they had continued to drive despite their head nodding through tiredness. For women, the proportion that admitted driving while sleepy was 22%.

Get a new '32 Ford 5-window coupe

Looking for a 1932 Ford 5-window coupe body? Ford Component Sales has thousands of period-correct reproductions, and the latest addition is a 5-window coupe. The coupe debuted for the first time at the 2013 SEMA show, being produced by United Pacific Industries.

Audi Smart Display tablet for your car

Audi has been showing off a new in-car tablet prototype called the Audi Smart Display, which gives passengers wireless control over infotainment and climate control systems. It also features high-speed LTE (4G) mobile internet connectivity, to keep you connected on the move. On Bing: see pictures of the Audi Smart Display Find out how much a used Audi costs on Auto Trader The Audi Smart Display is a 10.2-inch full-HD touchscreen tablet that uses Google’s Android operating system – nothing especially unusual there.

Nissan confirms IDx for production

Nissan will produce at least one of the IDx concepts shown at the Detroit auto show. Vice president Andy Palmer said at the show, “Don’t say that we won’t do both, but we will definitely do one of them.” That statement confused us a bit, especially with the positioning of Nismo as upgraded versions of the company’s normal cars. Surely, the Freeflow could be repainted and improved into a Nismo version.

Funding row erupts over road repairs

COUNCILS hit by the recent extreme weather are calling for extra funding from central Government to help meet the multi-million pound roads repair bill. The Local Government Association (LGA) wants the Department for Transport to create a highways maintenance emergency fund following the recent spate of heavy rain and flooding. But the Government said councils have been allocated their funding and should have created contingency funds themselves.

Porsche Panamera Junior (Porsche Pajun) still on the cards

Porsche Panamera Junior (Porsche Pajun) still on the cards The idea that Porsche would build a saloon to sit below the Panamera have been on the cards almost as long as the Panamera has been with us. Back in early 2011 we reported that a Porsche Pajun was being planned for 2016 and in 2012 a Porsche source confirmed that a baby Panamera was under development with plans to get it to the market in 2015. Now, Porsche boss Matthias Muller has all but confirmed to Autocar that the ‘Pajun’ is under serious consideration, although the logistics of building a ‘volume’ model like the Pajun is a tough logistical ask as Porsche has just gone through that exercise to produce the Porsche Macan.

Hamburg planning to ban cars from city by 2034

Hamburg, Germany is planning to ban all cars from its city center over the next 20 years, according to the Independent U.K. site. It’s a sad turn of affairs when the country that not only has the Autobahn, but also the Green Hell -- the most difficult racetrack in the world -- turns its back on motorized personal transportation.

Corvette Z06: The history

Chevrolet recently introduced the 2015 Corvette Z06, claiming it as the most track-capable Corvette in the brand's history. The Z06 started out back in 1963, but since its introduction, it has been available in four of the Corvette's seven production generations. Now GM's FastLane blog has a nice deep-dive into the roots of what made it what it is today.

Surprise Euro NCAP results released

THE BEST cars in class for safety have been announced by Euro NCAP - and there are some surprise results. Although not on sale in the UK yet, the Chinese-built Qoros 3 Sedan was the safest car tested by Euro NCAP all year. It is also the first car built in China to ever gain a five-star score in the tough crash tests of Euro NCAP.

Porsche Macan makes UK debut in Harrods

The Porsche Macan has made its London and UK debut – in the window display of the world-famous Harrods department store. The new compact SUV will be on display in Harrods’ window until 5 February 2014, before formally arriving in UK Porsche dealerships two months later. On Bing: see pictures of the Porsche MacanPorsche Macan: 21 things we’ve learned Porsche says it chose Harrods not just because of the "cosmopolitan clientele" that frequent the Knightsbridge store, but also because the area is well known among enthusiasts hoping to spot some tasty supercars.

Scandal-laden Jaguar up for auction

A STUNNING 1959 Jaguar XK150 Drophead Coupé with connections to one of the most famous British political scandals of all time has been lined up for auction. The car, with the number plate WLY 150, was owned by Dr Stephen Ward, the osteopathic physician who was at the centre of the Profumo Affair in 1963. Ward was the man who introduced John Profumo, Conservative MP and Secretary of State for War, to longstanding friend, model and showgirl Christine Keeler, who at the time was also allegedly in a relationship with Soviet spy Yevgeny Ivanov.

Lotus C-01 superbike leaked images

Our friends at Motorcycle News (MCN) have acquired world exclusive images of a new Lotus C-01 superbike – and have kindly let us reproduce them here. The images, which come directly from a source inside the factory, show that the kind of original thinking that has made the Norfolk-based sportscar marque such a legend on the four wheels could equally turn it into a two-wheeled force to be reckoned with. The Lotus Motorcycles C-01 superbike looks utterly wild.

Mystery new luxury British sportscar planned

The name David Brown is famously associated with Aston Martin, as the company was once owned by a British entrepreneur who is now immortalised in a series of “DB” model lines, including James Bond’s favourite DB5 and the current DB9. We digress. Now another David Brown is hoping to make his mark – or should that be marque – on the British luxury motoring scene by launching an all-new David Brown Automotive brand in April 2014.

First retail 2015 Mustang could make the record books

Barrett-Jackson will play host to what could be one of the most valuable Mustangs ever to be sold at auction. The event takes place in Scottsdale, Ariz., and guests can start placing bids Saturday. The 2015 Mustang hits showrooms this fall and has been causing quite a stir among car enthusiasts.

New British car company coming?

British entrepreneur David Brown, not to be confused with the late Aston Martin owner Sir David Brown or the former British Prime Minister, has announced the upcoming debut of a new luxury sports-car brand bearing his name. Brown has teamed up with ex-Land Rover chief designer Alan Mobberley to create the new car, dubbed "Project Judi" for now. This wouldn't be an update of any existing model but rather an all-new exterior and interior design.

Audi to build cars that can predict the future

Audi is hoping to make traffic jams, parking and city centre navigation much easier with a new suite of technology called Audi Urban Intelligent Assist (AUIA), while Audi traffic Light Online helps you avoid red traffic lights. Combining the work of its own Electronics Research Laboratory in Silicon Valley with four leading US research universities, the eventual aim is that this new technology will essentially be able to predict the future. On Bing: see pictures of Audi Urban Intelligent Assist On Bing: see pictures of Audi Traffic Light Assist The ideas is that with constant and continual traffic analysis in the world’s biggest cities, Audi Urban Intelligent Assist will learn to anticipate the optimum time for your journey, and then use the most lightly congested routes to get you there.

Police authorities turning a blind eye to lane hoggers

REX Features MSN Cars can exclusively reveal that just 13 drivers have been fined for lane hogging on the M25 since new laws were introduced last year – while thousands are still penalised for breaking the speed limit. The news comes following a freedom of information request carried out by MSN to the six police authorities covering London’s orbital motorway, which according to the Department for Transport carries 153,000 vehicles a day. Fines for middle-lane hogs from this FridayOn Bing: see pictures of motorway lane hoggers The law was changed on 16 August 2013 to give police officers the power to fine motorists £100 for sitting in the middle lane of the motorway, or any other form of driving considered “careless”, such as tailgating.

OSVehicle – the flat-pack car you can build in an hour

Ever dreamt of building your own car, maybe even designing the bodywork and literally bolting it together yourself? Then the Open Source Vehicle – or OSVehicle – is here to help. This is quite literally a flat-pack car.

'Barn find' Ferrari 330 GTS set to fetch $2 million

There are two things that strike us about so-called 'barn finds'. One - how do you actually 'lose' a car, only to discover it a number of years later? And secondly - how come we never stumble across an old motor when touring the countryside?