McLaren P1 gets an Arctic shakedown (+video)

So McLaren are busy throwing the worst conditions they can at the P1 to make sure it can perform even in the harshest of conditions and be the best driver’s car in the world – even when there’s several feet of ice under its wheels. McLaren has had several XP prototypes of the P1 running round the world’s harshest climates – hot and cold – and have delivered a video of the P1 prototype playing on the ice in the north of Sweden – inside the Arctic Circle – to keep interest in the P1 bubbling along ahead of its dynamic debut in the UK at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. Despite its enormous power – 903bhp from a combination of its turbo 3.8 litre V8 and electric motor – the P1 does look composed and capable, even with sub-zero temperatures and a surface that has zero grip.

Peugeot 508 RXH & 508 Saloon HYbrid4 price & spec announced

Peugeot 508 RXH & 508 Saloon HYbrid4 arrive in the UK The Peugeot 508 RXH HYbrid4 is joined by the Peugeot 508 saloon HYbrid4 with UK price and specifications revealed. The Peugeot 508 RXH HYbrid4 – using Peugeot’s 4WD diesel hybrid setup – debuted at Frankfurt last year and is being joined a the 508 HYbrid4 saloon in the UK. Peugeot has now announced prices and specs for both the range-topping RXH hybrid estate and the 508 hybrid saloon – a cheaper offering and perfect for company car buyers with its sub-100g/km CO2 emissions, 100 per cent first year writing-down allowance and decent BIK rates.

New Mercedes CLA helps Daimler to 16% profit jump

The new Mercedes CLA (pictured) help Mercedes to a 16% profit jump. There’s an argument that the move in to more compact car sales by premium car makers will see their turnover rise and their profits fall as more compact cars tend to work on smaller margins than high-end luxury cars. But Mercedes has defied that logic by posting a 16 per cent increase in profits for the third quarter of 2013, boosted by sales of the new compact coupé – the Mercedes CLA.