E800w Black Silver 48v 15a Lead Acid Smart Battery Charger, Triangle Plug on 2040-parts.com

UK Car Insurance Company reports buyers downsizing

Swinton Insurance claim quote requests for bigger cars are down 20% Swinton say that it has seen an increase of 25% in quote requests for smaller engined cars in the last six months and a decrease of 20% in car insurance quotes for cars over 1.8 litres (which, short of the big-engined cars being scrapped begs the question: What’s happened to the big-engined cars? Did they just disappear, or are they just not being insured?). But this got us thinking.

Concept Car of the Week: Renault Altica (2006)

Back in 2006 Renault was still well into its design-leadership stride, if perhaps not for much longer. The Altica concept, shown at that year's Geneva motor show, showcased all the French brand had to offer at that time – a brilliantly brave, architectural interior, a style that could only be associated with its country of origin and an interior that thoroughly questioned and readdressed layout, control and format. It also served to preview the renaissance of the Shooting Brake that the industry is still experiencing.

First Sight: Smart Fortwo and Forfour

"Dress-down Wednesday," remarked a colleague as Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche walked on stage wearing jeans and no tie. While it was a hot day in Berlin, Zetsche's excuse for his informal attire was the occasion – the new Smart is here. Its prospective owners, he explained – young, urban consumers with an active lifestyle, not the typical members of corporate Germany – adhere to a different, if similarly rigid etiquette.