Freightliner Century Class Headlight Assembly on 2040-parts.com

Old is new again: Will a floor-hinged throttle pedal be in your future?

If you think that every little nut, bolt, switch, gear or widget in your new car wasn't scrutinized by a team of highly educated, overworked car geeks (read: engineers), think again. A couple of recent conversations with automotive engineers confirmed that virtually nothing that goes into a car today is taken for granted. During the recent Pebble Beach weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with an engineer for Jaguar, and the subject turned to materials used for various switches in the cabin.

Want to drive the latest Volvo? Now you can.

Volvo is rolling out a new test drive programme that allows car buyers around the UK to enjoy proper test drives of the latest Volvos. It’s always difficult to change perceptions of a car brand. Even when you get the cars right, potential car buyers will still be saddled with their preconceptions.

Lamborghini Veneno Roadster gets its public debut on an Aircraft Carrier in Abu Dhabi

The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster (pictured) debuts in Abu Dhabi Depending on your point of view, the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster is either the summit of Lamborghini’s extreme cars or a cynical exercise to milk cash from those with more money than sense. An open-topped version of the equally cynical Lamborghini Veneno Coupe, Lamborghini say the Roadster has the aerodynamic efficiency of a racing prototype thanks to its perfect airflow and downforce and its stiff and light CFRP monocoque and body panels. But at £3.35 million, the Veneno Roadster costs ten times the equivalent – and just as quick – Aventador Roadster, so you’re paying a huge premium for one of the nine Veneno Roadsters Lamborghini are planning to build in 2014.