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Air-powered car edges closer to reality

FANCY a car that runs on thin air? We all would, and Peugeot is almost ready to turn it from science-fiction to science-fact. The firm is ready to actually demonstrate its Hybrid Air technology, where a 208 supermini runs partly on petrol and partly on compressed air, resulting in astonishing fuel economy figures topping 140mpg.

2015 VW Polo GTI gets new 1.8 litre TSI with 189bhp

The VW Polo GTI gets a facelift and new engine for 2015 The 2015 Volkswagen Polo GTI is being updated for 2015 – and heading for a debut at the Paris Motor Show – with VW bucking the trend for ever smaller engines by dropping the current 1.4 litre turbocharged and supercharged lump in favour of a new 1.8 litre TSI with 189bhp and 236lb/ft of torque. The extra power lets the new Polo GTI get to 62mph in 6.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 147mph and, unlike the current GTI, you’ll also be able to do that with a six-speed manual ‘box as well as the optional 7-speed DSG. Aside from the new engine, you’ll need to look quite hard to see the changes, but the 2015 Polo GTI does get updated headlights, a new grill (complete with red stripe), more aggressive bumpers with the interior keeping its tartan seats and getting the same updates as those on the rest of the Polo range.

Autoweek in review: What you might have missed

Lotus has jumped on the trendy bespoke train and joined forces with controversial design firm Mansory. It sounds as if the two firms are conspiring to add weight and chavish cosmetic embellishments to the British performance cars. We hope they will prove us wrong.