Danforth Quest Compass C103 on 2040-parts.com

2014 Toyota RAV4 gets more equipment and a lower price

2014 Toyota RAV4 (pictured) gets more equipment and a lower price Toyota like to think of the RAV4 as the originator of the compact SUV, and as it’s been around for two decades and is in its fourth iteration, they probably have a point. But being the first doesn’t guarantee continued success; that comes from still being relevant and keeping up with the ever growing competition in the market place. So Toyota are giving the RAV4 a bit of a makeover for 2014 – not quite a facelift, more an upgrade – with additional equipment across the range and a price drop too.

Vauxhall launches powerful 1.0 petrol engine

OLD-FASHIONED 1.6-litre petrol engines in Vauxhall cars are about to be replaced by a clever new 1.0-litre alternative. The tiny newcomer has only three cylinders, but thanks to a turbocharger it coughs up more power and torque than many normal 1.6-litre equivalents. It’s set to debut in Vauxhall’s funky Adam supermini, although the new engine will be display-only when it emerges at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Ferrari California Handling Speciale (2012) first pictures

This is Ferrari’s revised California, which will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March 2012. It’s got more power, weighs less, and can be optioned with a chassis-sharpening Handling Speciale package, all features scooped by CAR last year. The California caused quite a stir when it was launched, ushering in a whole host of firsts for Ferrari: it was the company’s first convertible with a folding metal roof; the first with a double-clutch gearbox, the first front-engined V8 Ferrari, and the first with direct-injection engine technology.