Ford 1967-68 Original Chrome Rally Wheel on 2040-parts.com

Qashqai fanatic nets limited edition number 0001

IF EVER there was someone who was fond of the Nissan Qashqai, it’s this man. Frankie Hipwell-Larkin, founder of the Qashqai Club online resource for owners of the popular crossover, has just taken delivery of a special new model of the car. He was fastest out of the blocks when the order books opened for the limited-run Qashqai Premier Limited Edition, and netted himself number 0001 of a planned 2007.

Volvo consign normal car batteries to the history book

Volvo consign normal car batteries to the history book by using body panels for storage As our cars become more and more reliant on power from batteries – either to run the multitude of technology or top provide power for electric motors – the cost and size of the batteries needed continues to grow. But Volvo have been working an an alternative for the last 3.5 years which can potentially do away with the battery and instead store power in body panels. Volvo has built an experimental S80 which has body panels made of carbon fibre and polymer resins and structural super capacitors.

Porsche Macan means 1,000 extra jobs at Porsche

The Porsche take on the Audi Q5 – the new Porsche Macan – looks set to be Porsche’s biggest selling model ever and means 1,000 new jobs at Porsche. The ‘baby’ Cayenne – the Porsche Macan – is Porsche’s take on the Audi Q5 and a model that looks set to take Porsche’s sales to levels undreamed of a decade ago (pre-Cayenne). But although the Macan is based on the Q5 – just as the Cayenne shares its underpinnings with the Q7 and Touareg – Porsche say it will still be a red-blooded Porsche – the ‘Sports’ car in its sector – when it goes on sale later in 2013, so we don’t expect to see a lethargic eco diesel under the bonnet, although a fettled 2.0 litre TDI is highly likely.