Bmw F650 Center Stand on 2040-parts.com

AutoWeek Design Forum: McLaren evolves with carbon fiber

McLaren Automotive design boss Frank Stephenson detailed his company's transformation from strictly racing to producing road-going models on Thursday at the AutoWeek Design Forum. McLaren is launching the highly anticipated MP4-12C this year, and the company has been hard at work refining the use of carbon fiber, which it pioneered in the iconic McLaren F1. The company cut the amount of time required to design a carbon-fiber tub from 3,000 hours for the F1 to a mere four hours for the MP4-12C.

Vauxhall Astra VXR EXTREME heading for Geneva as the quickest Astra yet

The Vauxhall Astra VXR EXTREME (pictured) is heading for a Geneva debut. The VXR range of Vauxhall’s – the sportiest of Vauxhall’s car range – is ten years old this year, so what better way to celebrate than with an even more extreme version of the Astra VXR. Vauxhall obviously agree as they’ve revealed the Vauxhall Astra VXR EXTREME as the new top of the range Astra VXR and it’s heading for a debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March before going in to limited production.

2012 Honda Civic UK prices and specs – starts at £16,495

2012 Honda Civic UK Prices & Specs revealed The 2012 Honda Civic may be more of an evolution of the old Civic than a radical departure, but it does seem to offer a decent package, and one designed to cope with UK roads too. We already know plenty about the 2012 Civic, from its new suspension and dynamics – tuned to UK roads, no less – to the improved engines with better economy and lower emissions, thanks to an endless tease from Honda, but one which was at least informative. And now we get to the meat of the new Civic, with UK prices, models and specifications revealed.