Daihatsu Tanto 2005 Left Fender Panel [0010700] on 2040-parts.com

BMW's quirky new i3

The side view of the new BMW i3 electric vehicle takes some getting used to, with no two windows the same size or shape. The i3 is high-waisted through the front door and then there's a notch for a taller rear-passenger window and the rear-hinged rear door and a narrow, tapering window at the rear quarter. Yet when you look at the underlying structure -- made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic -- an innovative choice for a mass-produced car -- there's a giant side opening from front to rear.

Driven: BMW Z4

Loved as it may be by its loyal fanbase, the outgoing Z4 was always something of a mixed bag in terms of design. While the car's classic long-bonnet, cab-back profile and short overhangs should have pleased the eye, the BMW's sheer frontal mass made its proportions seem out of balance. The application of the company's then-new ‘flame surfacing' form language also generated a visual business that seemed out of place on something as conceptually simple as a roadster.

Jaguar F-Type

The Jaguar F-Type has leaked onto the internet ahead of its official unveiling in Paris on Thursday. The F-Type offers little in the way of surprise to anyone who saw last year’s C-X16 concept, or indeed a current XK for that matter. It’s a more compact sports car than the XK, aimed squarely at the BMW Z4, Porsche Boxster and Mercedes SLK.