Carlyle Hand Tools Cht S14tp15 - Socket, Tp15; Star Plus on 2040-parts.com

BMW 3-series (2012): first official pictures of the new F30

BMW today slid the covers off the new 3-series. Dubbed F30 in BMWspeak, this is an important car for Munich, selling in six-figure numbers across the world. One in five BMWs sold globally is a 3-series.

EBay exotic: 1972 Fiat 850 Sport Spider

Exotic might be a strong term for a Fiat, but when’s the last time you saw a nice 850 Spider? Our friends at Bring a Trailer spotted this gem on eBay Motors in what appears to be surprisingly good condition, particularly since these little Italian roller skates turned to dust upon contact with any form of moisture. The year and Sport moniker indicate that this is the more powerful, revised 850 delivering 52 hp from its rear-mounted 903-cc I4.

Lotus explosion: Elise, Esprit, Elan, Elite & Eterne (2010)

It’s only a few days since Lotus shocked us with details of the all-new Lotus Elite – a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 GT with a folding hardtop, the engine up front, and all-aluminium construction. Now, at the 2010 Paris motor show, the Norfolk firm is unveiling four more cars: Elise, Elan, Esprit and Eterne. On sale in 2015, the Elise is furthest from production, but we already know it will be a radical shift from today’s car.