Bmw Multipurpose Relay 12631742 690 on 2040-parts.com

Toyota & Lexus: Hybrid sales in Europe hit 20%

The ‘Green’ evangelists want to get us all driving electric cars to save the planet, but in the real world car drivers want a car that offers them all the practicality of a normal ICE car, but without the penalties of the poor range, high cost and inconvenience of an EV. So, with ever-rising fuel costs, it’s no wonder car buyers are willing to pay a little more for a car that offers better economy at the pumps – which plays straight in to the hands of Hybrid pioneers Toyota. The result is that Toyota and Lexus now see a full 20 per cent of their sale in Europe being hybrid cars in the first quarter of 2013, with sales of hybrid cars up a massive 82 per cent year-on-year.

Mazda MX-5 1989-2014 in pictures: 25 years of everyone's favourite roadster

It's hard to believe but the Mazda MX-5 celebrates its 25th birthday this year, writes Adam Binnie. The occasion will be marked with a special edition model, before the launch of the fourth-iteration MX-5 in September 2014. The MX-5 earned the title of 'bestselling two-seater sports car of all time' from Guinness World Records in May 2000, after global production reached 531,890 units.

Mercedes GLA Concept leaks ahead of Shanghai Motor Show debut

But ahead of a debut of the production ready GLA at Frankfurt, Mercedes are taking a GLA Concept – which is pretty much what the production version will be – to the Shanghai Motor Show this month. But it’s arrived early. Thanks to a German website publishing the pictures ahead of time (which they’ve subsequently removed) we get our first look at Mercedes latest addition to the A Class family – and it does look quite convincing.