Icom Marine Vhf Ic-m56 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo V40 teased again ahead of Geneva [w/video]

Volvo has released an unusual cartoon teaser video for its new five-door V40, together with an additional image. The animated video features a flock of birds perching on power lines before all but one fly off. Being left on its own to dance on the lines, before fading to black with the words 'Be One of a Kind' appearing before advertising the car's imminent arrival.  Meanwhile the image (left), showing the car in silhouette, gives little away about the design, unlike Volvo's first sneak peek (right), released in December last year.

Mercedes and Daimler crush 300SL Gullwing imposter

Mercedes-Benz Classic recently destroyed an ersatz 300 SL after the body was seized by German customs officials. The case began when a German company built a fiberglass copy of the Gullwing's body. According to a court ruling, the shape remains under copyright protection just as it did upon its introduction in the 1950s.

Mercedes-Benz courts Renault for new Smart model based on Twingo

Mercedes-Benz is set to join forces with Renault in a deal aimed at providing its underdeveloped Smart division with a contemporary-engineered front-engine/front-wheel-drive platform as the basis for a frugal new Forfour model. The new Smart, due out in 2013, is planned to sit on a lightly modified version of the Renault Twingo’s underpinnings, complete with a 93.3-inch wheelbase. Speaking about the new car over the weekend, a highly placed Mercedes-Benz official told AutoWeek: “It’s a key component in plans to grow the Smart brand.