Blog on 2040Parts

Lexus NX compact SUV production starts – first UK deliveries October 2014

The first Lexus NX rolls off the production line We’re not entirely sure the new Lexus NX – revealed in production guise at the Beijing Motor Show in April - will be one of the most driver-focused compact SUVs, but it is a car that should see Lexus sales rise considerably. And the NX is now starting to roll off the production line at Lexus’s Miyata plant in Japan, and Lexus say they already have 6,500 orders for the NX in Japan, and a more modest 350 in the UK. The big seller in the UK – in the absence of a diesel NX – will be the NX 300h with its hybrid setup of a 2.5 litre petrol engine, electric motor and CVT gearbox, but despite promises of good economy (55.4mpg) the real world economy is likely to be significantly less, although its high headline economy will help BIK rates for business buyers.

Porsche Macan gets Sport Design Package & Sport Classic alloys option

The new Porsche Macan Sport Design Package The new Porsche Macan is now just finding its way on to UK roads – and is so popular, and in such short supply, it’s commanding a premium – and Porsche is already extending the options available for the Macan with a new Sport Design Package and 21″ Sport Classic alloys, amongst the new offerings. The Sport Design Package for the Macan include a body kit that titivates the front end, side sills, the back end and side blades to make the Macan look more purposeful and adds a paint job for the back spoiler. The body kit parts can either be body colour or high gloss black.

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2014 preview

The driving directions to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance tell you that this is an event held in a very special place. Whether you’re arriving from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz or Monterey, Pebble Beach is one of the world’s premier automotive events. In the words of the organisers, “only the most beautiful and rare cars are invited to appear on the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links”, with “connoisseurs of art and style” gathering to admire the masterpieces.

Audi TT (2014) in detail: news, prices, specs

By Ben Barry First Official Pictures 08 August 2014 10:39 Could the third-generation Audi TT finally be about to live up to the mini-me Porsche 911 billing that its looks have always promised but its dynamics never delivered? As tech development boss Oscar Da Silva Martins talks CAR round a cutaway of the car’s monocoque ahead of its launch in November, it seems a tantalising possibility. With a clever mixture of aluminium and steel, the new TT’s kerbweight is not only some 140kg shy of the iconic Mk1 of 1998 but also 50kg lighter than its steel-and-aluminium-based predecessor, despite extra equipment that boosts both safety and convenience.

Caravans top list of summer's 'most-hated'

GETTING STUCK behind a caravan or tractor is the number one summer driving bugbear of motorists in the UK. This is closely followed by Bank Holiday queues and boy racers playing loud music in their cars. Drivers over 60 are more likely to get annoyed by caravans and tractors, boy racers and tailbacks compared to 18-29-year olds.

CGT Automotive sets the mood [Sponsored]

Name CGT AutomotiveEstablished 1928Global HQ Ontario, CanadaDesign studio Bingham Farms, MichiganDesign manager Lilana NicoghosianContact lilana.nicoghosian@cgtower.comWebsite www.cgtower.com Canadian company CGT supplies cutting-edge synthetics to most OEMs in the auto industry. In her role as chief designer, CGT Global Automotive Division, former Ford color and trim designer Lilana Nicoghosian brings a wealth of experience and insight to the company's drive to provide customers with modern, tactile materials inspired by the latest trends in fashion and product design. 中文版请点击这里 The mood board pictured was created by Nicoghosian for the 2014-'15 design show, which she will present to OEM design studios in Europe, China and North America.

33% of young take driving 'selfie'

A THIRD a third of young British drivers have taken a "selfie" while at the wheel, according to a survey. Such self-distracting behaviour is worse among young Britons than among any of six other European countries, the survey from the Ford Motor Company showed. While 33% of Britons aged 18-24 confessed to taking a selfie while driving, the figure for Germany was 28%, with France also 28%, Romania, 27%, Italy 26%, Spain 18% and Belgium 17%.

Tesla Model S hits the UK second-hand market – at a premium

You can have a Tesla Model S now, but it’ll cost you The Tesla Model S is now, finally, starting to the UK in RHD, and it offers, for the first time, an electric powertrain that comes very close to offering the same convenience in use as a normal ICE car. True, it’s a far from cheap car to buy – prices start from around £50k and go up to around £100k if you throw caution to the wind and spec up almost everything on the Model S options list. But despite the steep prices, the Model S can be something of a bargain, especially if you’re a business user.

Ford’s 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine now going in to 1 in 5 new Fords

Half the Ford B-Max (pictured) sold get the 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine Who’d have thought, just a few years ago, that a 1.0 litre, 3-cylinder engine would become one of the most popular engines in a new car in Europe? But that’s exactly what’s happened with the increasingly impressive 1.0 litre EcoBoost from Ford which, as its power output has increased, has become a more and more popular engine of choice. The little Ford EcoBoost even seems to have persuaded buyers that they should forsake dirty diesel engines for it, and Ford has fitted 120,000 in the first six months of 2014 with almost half B-Max models, a third of Focus and 30 per cent of Fiestas getting the little wonder.

Concept Car of the Week: Mercedes F200 Imagination (1996)

The F200 Imagination was designed at Mercedes' Advanced Design studio in Tokyo, in response to the question 'does the car of the future still have a steering wheel and foot-operated controls?' Take a look at the car's interior and the answer was fairly emphatic, as the steering wheel and pedals were replaced by joysticks, called Sidesticks, that operated the throttle, brakes and steering by wire. There were two sticks to choose from, one on the left of the cabin and one in the center console. However, both had the same function – push forward to accelerate, left or right to turn, and back to brake – so either of the front passengers could control the car.

Supercars targeted by vandals

OWNERS of luxury and supercars are reporting increased damage to their cars brought on by jealousy. Many don’t bother to report damage to their cars to the police now as they accept it as part of the risk of owning an expensive car. Called ‘car hate crimes’, the damage to cars such as Porsches.

Malcontent growing over lack of roads policing

MOTORISTS are not just frustrated by the lack of police presence on Britain’s roads – they now believe there is little chance of law-breakers being caught and prosecuted. The RAC Report on Motoring 2014 reveals many motorists in 21st century Britain think there is little risk of being caught breaking the law at the wheel. Two in five drivers (40%) believe anyone committing common offences such as texting at the wheel of either a moving or stationary vehicle, aggressive driving, tailgating, middle lane hogging on the motorway or undertaking would more than likely get away with it.

Petrol price relief for drivers

PETROL PRICE pressure on the purse strings of drivers has eased, according to figures from the AA. They showed that average petrol pump prices in the UK have fallen back to 130.0p a litre having risen to 131.7p a litre at the beginning of July. Motorists are now doing far better than they were a year ago when petrol averaged 137.5p a litre, rising to 138.38p a litre in mid-October 2013.

M-way closures 'all year round'

SOME MAJOR MOTORWAYS did not operate at full capacity on any day last year, according to figures obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request. There were some lane closures on all 365 days of 2013 on the M1, M4, M5, M6 and M25 as well as on the M60 in north west England and on the M54 in Shropshire and Staffordshire. There were 358 days of lane closures on the M62 in northern England, 357 on the M40 which runs west from London to South Wales and 355 on the M27 in Hampshire.

New Bugatti 'could be too fast to test'

THE UPCOMING replacement for the world's fastest luxury car could be too quick to test, according to a motoring magazine. Bugatti is looking to replace the famous Veyron with a new, faster model that could reach speeds of around 286mph, but questions have been raised by weekly title Autocar over whether the facilities will exist to test it to its maximum. Not only is space a concern for the 1,500-horsepower concept, because it will need much longer straights than the Veyron, but also tyres are an issue.

2015 Audi TT price and spec – costs from £29,770

The new Audi TT is now on sale in the UK The third generation Audi TT arrived at the Geneva Motor Show in March as an evolution of Audi’s TT, and now it’s on sale in the UK from £29,770 with the first UK deliveries due in December. The new TT gets Audi’s all-digital virtual cockpit and a new chassis wrapped up in clothes that are new, but look familiar, and despite offering decent performance – even in the lower-end models – can manage as much as 67mpg on the official cycle. At launch there will be a choice of two trim levels – Sport and S Line – and a choice of two engines – the 2.0 litre TFSI with 227bhp and 2.0 litre TDI Ultra with 181bhp, with the 2.0 litre TFSI available with either front wheel drive or quattro four-wheel-drive with either a six-speed manual or six-speed S Tronic gearbox available.

New McLaren 625C on the way – is this P13 or a re-badged McLaren 12C

Is the McLaren 625C a replacement for the 12C (pictured). Or is it P13? What is the McLaren 625C?

Bugatti Veyron ‘Ettore Bugatti’ is the last ‘Les Légendes de Bugatti’ special

The Bugatti Veyron ‘Ettore Bugatti’ (pictured) pats tribute to Bugatti’s founder The Bugatti Veyron is coming very close to the end of its life, and this Veyron – the Bugatti Veyron ‘Ettore Bugatti’ – is the last in the series of Bugatti ‘Legends’ Special Editions and is, appropriately, dedicated to Bugatti’s founder – Ettore Bugatti. Just as the previous ‘Legends’ Editions of the Veyron – like the Veyron Black Bess, Veyron Meo Costantini and the Veyron Jean-Pierre Wimille - the Ettore Bugatti car is based on the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse. As such, it offers open-top motoring with a top speed of 254mph, 0-62mph in 2.6 seconds and 1184bhp from its 8.,0 litre W16 engine.

Hennessey Venom F5 (2016): is this really a 290mph supercar?

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 07 August 2014 10:16 Meet the Hennessey Venom F5, the extreme supercar successor to the Venom GT. And the US manufacturer has bold ambitions for the Venom F5 - it claims 290mph could be on the cards. While we’re of the view that the race to the top is largely academic (anything over 200mph is as good as impossible, even on derestricted autobahns), it’s still an eye-grabbing headline.

Young Men Most Likely To Be Disqualified From Driving

NEW figures obtained by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) show that male drivers between the ages of 20 and 30 were the most common group to be disqualified from driving in the 12 months between July 2013 and June 2014. The figures were supplied by the DVLA following a Freedom of Information request made by the IAM. The statistics reveal the age groups most commonly carrying out a driving offence that then lead to a subsequent driving ban.

Bugatti Veyron ‘Ettore Bugatti’ Legend edition (2014) first pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 07 August 2014 16:19 Not many special editions make it onto the pages of CAR magazine, but when it’s Bugatti calling the shots at next week’s Pebble Beach celebrations it’s time to sit up and pay attention. This is the sixth and final special edition of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, bowing out in a style not that dissimilar to an ageing Ford Mondeo repmobile. Apart from the €2.35 million price tag (£1.86 plus taxes!), 1184bhp power output and 0-62mph time of 2.6 seconds, that is… All six of the Bugatti Legends series are based on the open-top Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse.

New Car Sales Increase Again

NEW registrations in July 2014 totalled 172,907 - a 6.6% rise on the July 2013 figure, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The latest figures took the year-so-far total to 1,460,172 - a 10.1% rise on the January-July 2013 total. As a result, the SMMT has now upwardly revised its prediction for sales for the whole of 2014, forecasting that a total of 2.45 million could be reached.

New car registrations continue to rise – up 6.6% in July 2014

The Ford Fiesta (pictured) topped the UK sales chart again in July 2014 There must come a point (mustn’t there?) when new car sales/registrations slow down in the UK, but there seems little sign of it happening any time soon. For the 29th month in a row, new car registrations in the UK rose again in July 2014, up by 6.6 per cent on the same month in 2013, hitting a total of 172,907. So far in 2014, new car registrations have risen by 10.1 per cent to 1,460,172, with the SMMT predicting that new car registrations for 2014 will end up 8.1 per cent up on 2013 at 2,450,000.

Rolls and Aston plan new convertibles

ROLLS-ROYCE and Aston Martin have both announced exciting new convertible models, giving workers at the UK-based car makers a welcome boost to their job security. Aston is set to début a new member of the Vantage family, after shoe-horning a V12 engine into an open-top body to create the V12 Vantage S Roadster. It will make its public entrance at the Pebble Beach Auto Week in California, starting on August 14.

New Land Rover Discovery Sport final development testing

The new Land Rover Discovery Sport testing ahead of launch With the new Land Rover Discovery Sport expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show in October – and be on sale in early 2015 – Land Rover are busy testing it through its final development stage. That’s meant some pretty rigorous shakedowns going on, with a total of 181 prototype Discovery Sports covering 750,000 miles and completing 11,000 test at locations around the world, from extremes of hot and cold to all points in between. But instead of just giving us the test numbers, some new photos (above) and new video (below) of the new Disco Sport, Land Rover are taking the opportunity to big up their partnership with Virgin Galactic and the similarities in the two company’s aims and objectives with their projects.

No special purchase schemes for electric Golf

VOLKSWAGEN has announced that the electric-driven e-Golf will be sold just like any other Golf. The company will not separate battery rental from the purchase of the car, unlike Renault's approach with the Zoe, meaning that customers who buy the e-Golf will also be buying the batteries. There will be no special incentives like access to other Volkswagen cars for a limited number of days per year, which is a scheme in place with the electric-powered BMW i3.

2015 Aston Martin Vanquish, Vanquish Volante & Rapide S updated with new 8-speed ZF gearbox

The 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish (pictured) upgraded It really is astonishing how Aston Martin keep managing to upgrade their cars despite a platform and engine that are more than a decade old. But they do, and the tweaks for 2015 for the aston Martin Vanquish (and Vanquish Volante) as we ll as the 4-door Rapide S are all quite impressive. Most notably, Aston Martin finally ditch their ancient 6-speed auto ‘box in favour of a new 8-speed ZF auto shifter - Touchtronic III – which cleverly adds an extra pair of cogs without needing a new housing (and all the work that would entail), improves economy and boosts performance.

Ferrari M458-T (2015) - more details of 458 Italia’s turbo facelift

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 06 August 2014 09:46 Twenty-six years after the F40, the California T marks Ferrari’s late comeback to the turbo fraternity. Predictably enough, the next turbocharged model - the facelifted 2015 Ferrari 458 Italia - is just round the corner. At the 2015 Geneva motor show, the Italian sports car maker is expected to launch the M458-T, otherwise known as the revised Ferrari 458 Italia.

140mph goalkeeper's sentencing way

THE SENTENCING of a former Premier League goalkeeper caught driving at 140mph has been adjourned after he failed to attend court. Carlo Nash, who has played for clubs including Manchester City, Everton, Wigan Athletic, Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace, Stoke City and Norwich City, was clocked by a traffic officer on the A11 at Wymondham in Norfolk. The 40-year-old from Leftbank, Manchester, was stopped in a 70mph zone by a marked car with a speed detector on February 2 this year.

Rows over directions cause most in-car arguments

ROWS over routes are the biggest cause of in-car friction, according to an AA/Populus survey. Two in three people argue in the car, with 18-24 year olds more likely to row than those over 65. Getting from A to B was the main cause of arguments following by driving too fast, not asking for directions and noisy children.