Explr Spt 2003 Fuel Filler Door 39229 on 2040-parts.com

Daimler to axe Maybach in 2013. New Mercedes S Class Pullman instead

Maybach Axed We’ve been preidtcing the demise of Maybach for some time. After all, who wants an old S Class with chintzy trim and lots of toys for more money than a Rolls Royce Phantom? And now it seems that Daimler has also realised their revival of the Maybach has fallen flat on its face (except in Germany and to a pair from the Dragons’ Den) and it’s time to move on.

Land Rover Freelander 2 hits 300,000 sales despite the Evoque

Land Rover Freelander 2 - 300k now sold Land Rover Freelander 2 - 300k now sold Land Rover has revealed that the 300,000th Freelander 2 has now been built despite an ageing model and the launch of the Evoque. It’s almost exactly two years since we reported that the Land Rover Freelander 2 had chalked up sales of 200,000 in its first three years (and 250k in March last year), and here we are two years later reporting sales hitting the 300,000 mark. Which is impressive.

New Peugeot 208 production cut as sales disappoint

Peugeot is cutting back on production of the new 208 as its sales fail to reach expectations, just six months on from launch. It’s not enough when Europe is ion the midst of an economic crisis and car buyers are polarised between ‘budget’ cars that offer more for less than mainstream offerings and ‘Premium’ models that are bought on the back of a preconceived notion of more kudos. That leaves car makers like Peugeot (and Renault, Citroen, Vauxhall, Ford, Opel, Fiat…) between a rock and a hard place, unable – or unwilling – to compete with the offerings from Korea and saddled with a brand that doesn’t have the ‘class’ of an Audi or a BMW or a Mercedes or even a VW.