Dorman 611-206 Lug Nut- Front on 2040-parts.com

Jaguar Land Rover strong September sales thanks to Evoque & XF 2.2

JLR Sales up in September thanks to XF 2.2 & Evoque We’ve had cause to take Jaguar Land Rover (well, Jaguar) to task lately for disappointing sales, particularly in the US and the UK. So it seems only fair, after dishing out disapprobation, that we should balance that with a story about a decent set of sales figures for JLR in September, especially in the face of weakening sales from other manufacturers in the UK. Unsurprisingly – although how long it will last is debatable – China was the strongest performer for Jaguar, certainly in percentage terms, with a rise of 156 per cent for Jaguar and 85 per cent for Land Rover and year on year figures up 60 per cent.

GM awards small-car production to Michigan plant

General Motors will make its new subcompact car in Orion Township, Mich., the automaker said Friday, dashing hopes in Spring Hill, Tenn., and Janesville, Wis., that the small car would keep one of their factories alive. Stamping for the new car will take place in Pontiac, Mich., GM said in a statement. The small car, which GM said it plans to start producing in 2011, will save about 1,200 jobs in Orion and 200 in Pontiac.

Lotus Exige S Roadster Official: Price (£52,800) and Specs

It’s the first properly good news from Lotus for a while, and looks a promising offering at the same price (£52,800) as the tin top Exige S and, remarkably for a convertible, actually weighing less than the hard top – although by only 10kg. The Exige S Roadster gets the same 3.5 litre V6 as the coupe which means 345bhp, 295lb/ft of torque and a 0-60mph of a very respectable 3.8 seconds, but it does lose the coupe’s rear wing and front splitter for better airflow. The folding roof on the Roadster is a manual affair, but Lotus say fresh air motoring is just ‘Two clicks and a roll away’, so the manual roof is probably the best – and lightest – option.