Cole Hersee 48530 Smart Battery Isolator 200a on 2040-parts.com

Videos: Volkswagen's exterior and interior designers highlight the Up's design elements

We've enjoyed the design of Volkswagen's new Up since we first saw the vehicle in concept form at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show. Devoid of any extraneous detailing, the simple, product design aesthetic is pared back to represent the crux of VW's design philosophy: pure, simple and solid.  The result is a harmonious design that stands out from the pack, with simple surfacing and subtle detailing; the Up's design is pure and minimalistic, which serves to exude quality in the product. Inside, the vehicle is brimming with space-saving design details.  From an IP devoid of central air vents to a thin headrest that visually extends the height of the interior, the Up is a success story in space efficiency, but it is also finished to a high level using quality materials.

Mazda RX-8 facelift (2008): first official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 13 January 2008 10:47 Mazda’s facelifted RX-8 arrived at the Detroit Motor Show, and it’s more of a mild nip and tuck than a drastic overhaul. Mazda hasn’t suddenly dropped in a V6 or anything like that – so far over 165,000 rotary-engined RX-8s have been sold and Mazda doesn’t want to mess with a recipe that works. That means it’s still a four-door, four seater with 'Freestyle' (suicide to you and me) doors, and a unchanged 1.3-litre turbine engine available in 189bhp and 228bhp states of tune.

Jay Leno learns to drive his own McLaren MP4-12C at Dunsfold +video

Jay Leno learns to drive his McLaren MP4-12C You happen to be one of the worlds’s best-known petrolheads, and you also own one of just 64 McLaren F1 road cars ever made. So when the company that made your McLaren F1 decides to make a new car – albeit not quite at the same exalted level of supercardom as the F1 – you have to have one. So you phone McLaren and place an order.