Cci 58711u10 - 97-99 Audi A8 16" Factory Original Style Wheel Rim 5x112 on 2040-parts.com

Volkswagen hits back, weighs making a bid for Porsche

Volkswagen is considering an audacious reverse-takeover bid for its majority shareholder, Porsche, in a twist in the drawn-out struggle for control between the two German carmakers. The Volkswagen Group's supervisory board is said to be weighing the possibility of purchasing Porsche AG, in a move that would relieve its holding company, Porsche SE, of massive debt that industry analysts suggest the company may not be able to fund should the world's financial crisis drag on well into 2010--a scenario put forward this week by the International Monetary Fund. The secret plan emerged as shareholders were set to convene at Volkswagen's annual meeting on Thursday, and it comes after Porsche revealed that it is carrying some 9 billion euros ($11.73 billion) in debt, most of it owing to interest on loans taken out to purchase its 50.8 percent stake in VW.

Pininfarina exhibit opens at the Museo dell’Automobile di Torino

The National Automobile Museum of Turin, Italy, has reopened its doors to welcome a bevy of Pininfarina models from past and present into its midst. The display takes on some of the milestone models of Pininfarina design and sees a wide selection of cars take up residence amidst the 200 others already on display at the recently renovated museum. Of the more desirable models being shown is a 1947 Cisitalia 202, the two seater berlinetta that has been described as 'moving sculpture' by Arthur Drexler, the highly influential curator and director at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

KTM X-Bow – want a drive?

KTM X-Bow 'Drive Orange' track days at Brands Hatch and Silverstone KTM is an Austrian Motor Cycle manufacturer which has woken up to the possibilities of making a four-wheeled creation, and has been busy building and refining the X-Bow in collaboration with Dallara and Audi. Featuring a 237bhp, 2.0 litre Audi  TFSi unit – and coming in at a bit under £50,000 for the street version – its low weight (790kg) gives it supercar acceleration of around 3.7 second 0-60mph. There is even talk of a 380bhp version, which will put it up there with the Ariel Atom V8 we reported on recently.