Movie review: Cars 2 offers more layers than a good paint job

There is layer upon layer of intricate detail in the movie Cars 2, the sequel to the successful 2006 Pixar release Cars. So much detail, in fact, that you might want to wait until the DVD comes out so that you can freeze the frames and pick out all of the subtle automotive styling cues that abound within. But go see the movie.

Punchy diesel bound for Mini Cooper

By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 07 November 2006 09:00 Mini is planning the first ever diesel Cooper – and the common-rail unit will have almost 50 percent more power than the outgoing Toyota engine. The Mini Cooper diesel will run the 1.6-litre HDi four, which features in Peugeot-Citroen and Ford cars. Peak power is 110bhp, with 180lb ft of torque on tap.

Next Volvo infotainment system will look like an iPhone

After more than a decade of disparate and clunky systems that have tried to force their ways of doing things upon our already-overloaded brains, it appears that smartphones and cars are finally going to be friends, after all. And by that, we don't mean that it's suddenly OK to text and drive. Rather, the infotainment systems in cars are finally going to have operating systems that mirror those of smartphones as they interact with your own phone.