Flying 50th Anniversary Issue on 2040-parts.com

2012 BMW X1 Facelift at New York Show

2012 BMW X1 Facelift The still quite new BMW X1 is getting a minor facelift for 2012 and will debut at the New York Auto Show. It’s really only a couple of years since the debut of the BMW X1, but BMW are already giving it a tweak and a titivate in a 2012 facelift designed, it would seem, to make the compact SUV seem a bit more upmarket; more in line with the rest of the BMW range. Revealed ahead of a debut at the New York Auto Show this month – after which it goes on sale in the US from $31.5k – the latest version of the X1 gets a new front bumper and grill with silver bars, deeper recessed fogs and silver detailing in the lower bumper to give the nose of the X1 more identity and make it a but more urban-warrior trendy.

Toyota Auris revised and Icon Plus trim added – price from £14,495

The 2014 Toyota Auris (pictured) gets a bit of a makeover Toyota has decided it’s time to make a few tweaks to the Auris – nearly 2 years on from its debut –  so both the Hatch and Estate are getting changes, the hybrid version gets more trim options and there’s a new trim level – Auris Icon Plus. The Auris Icon Plus comes with a new set of 16″ alloys, privacy glass, folding electric door mirrors and the option of a new Tungsten Blue Metallic. Inside, the Icon Plus gets heated front sports seats, the new Toyota Touch 2 with SatNav and cruise control (but only on the petrol and hybrid versions.

U.S. government to buy 101 Chevrolet Volts, 10 Nissan Leafs and 5 Think City EVs

The Obama administration is buying the first 116 plug-in electric vehicles for the federal fleet -- 101 Chevrolet Volts, 10 Nissan Leafs and five Think City EVs, the U.S. General Services Administration said today. The purchases are part of a pilot project aimed at advancing President Obama's goal of having 1 million EVs on the road by 2015.