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London Taxi maker Manganese Bronze bought by China’s Geely

China automotive giant Geely has bought Manganese Bronze – makers of the iconic London Black Cab – in an £11.04 million deal. The iconic London Black Cab has been an accident waiting to happen for years, as under investment in making the Black Cab fit for the 21st century saw competition – like the Mercedes Vito Taxi and the Nissan NV200 Cab – start to offer serious competition to the taxi that identifies London. Despite an investment by China’s Geely – when Geely bought 20 per cent of Manganese Bronze, makers of the Black Cab – and the bulk of the Black Cab being produced in China and bolted together in the Midlands, the final nail in the coffin for Manganese Bronze was the recall of 400 TX4 cabs over a steering fault.

Vauxhall Rake concept (2011) at Frankfurt motor show

Alongside the Astra GTC and Zafira Tourer, Vauxhall (and thus Opel) is unveiling something a little more ‘out there’ at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show. It’s this tiny city car, known by Vauxhall as RAK e, and which we’re going to call the Rake. The name is a modern take on the Rak 2, a rocket-powered Opel that hit 140mph in 1928.

New Aston Martin Zagato to debut at Villa d’Este

The new Aston Martin Zagato tease It’s hard not to feel a frisson of excitement at the prospect of the makers of the most beautiful cars in the world – Aston Martin – taking a new creation to our favourite car event – Villa d’Este. Add to that delicious mixture the added ingredient of an Aston Martin by Zagato, and you have a recipe that will justify the trip to Lake Como all on its own. And that’s exactly what we’re getting in less than two weeks time – a brand new Aston Martin Zagato. Aston Martin and Zagato have had a meeting of  mind and body more than once in the past.