Case Ih Piston Keychain Tractor International Harvester on 2040-parts.com

Smart For-Us concept unveiled at 2012 Detroit show

Smart made a splash with its world debut at the 2012 Detroit auto show: its For-Us concept car provides a vision of the Smart as an American icon, a pick-up. The diminutive truck - just 3547mm long - is longer than a Fortwo, and is supposed to be based on the running gear of the next-gen Smart Forfour, aka the new Renault Twingo. So if the For-Us doesn't look so much like a Smart any more, from the front at least, that's why.

Audi Allroad Shooting Brake unveiled at 2014 Detroit Motor Show

This is Audi’s Allroad Shooting Brake show car, unveiled on the eve of the Detroit Motor Show. It's a reminder that Audi is gunning for sales from Mercedes-Benz and BMW - and a warning that there isn’t a niche it isn’t prepared to plug. The tri-motor, all-wheel drive hybrid, complete with 400hp and 480lb ft of torque, promises to be a fast, usable crossover when it appears on sale – and Audi is hinting that might not be too far away.

Design Essay: BMW i – Setting the industry agenda for the next decade

Many have already dismissed BMW i as a radical experiment too far ahead of its time, but looking beyond the glossy carbon fiber facade reveals three ways it will change the automotive landscape during the next decade: 1. Re-define the EV category Despite Tesla, Nissan, GM, Renault and Toyota all operating in the EV space, global sales in 2012 totaled just 54,000. Many put this down to high-cost and range anxiety, but another key factor is nearly always overlooked.