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Porsche buyers put the brakes on stop-start technology

By Chris Chilton Motor Industry 23 June 2008 18:56 Direct injection and a clever new PDK dual-clutch gearbox have cemented the new 911’s reputation as the greenest performance car around, but Porsche engineers are being hampered from making the iconic sports car even cleaner by the public’s reluctance to accept further green technology Engineers at the launch of the facelifted 911 told CAR that fitting a BMW-style start-stop system could chop a further 10g/km from the Carrera’s 225g/km CO2 rating but that performance car buyers weren’t keen on having such overtly planet-conscious tech on their cars. Start-stop works by cutting the engine when the car’s stationary in traffic, and restarting automatically when you touch the pedals to move off again. Every manual transmission-equipped BMW 1-series comes with the technology, excepting the truly high performance versions.

Ex-Morgan Chief Designer forms Matthew Humphries Design

The former chief designer at Morgan, has formed his own design consultancy, Matthew Humphries Design, in a bid to branch out into the worlds of bespoke cars and product design. Humphries will continue his relationship with Morgan in a partnership that will see the newly formed company help to develop future models for the independent British sports car manufacturer. The 28-year-old Coventry University graduate believes he can begin moving into the growing market for integrating automotive design elements into product design – such as furniture – and particularly British-themed products.

VW Polo facelift (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 28 January 2014 10:00 Subtle facelift hides bigger changes underneath This is the new VW Polo to face-off the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa. The irony in this car arriving stems from the trouble that the German maker has faced in the US – where VW board members have blamed long model cycles with minor facelifts such as this – as the reason why sales fell and its North America boss stepped down late last year. At least the new Polo brings some welcome changes under that barely-changed sheetmetal.