UK sales slide continues: 'worst market for 17 years'

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 06 October 2008 12:22 Britain's new car market is in deep trouble, official sales figures today confirm. September is historically one of the two biggest registration months of the year, as buyers rush to snap up the autumn's new number plate – yet sales were down by a fifth last month. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which collates sales data from dealers, called it 'stormy September', as new-car registrations plummeted by 21 percent from last year's figure to 330,295.

Porsche to build 918 Spyder

Porsche today announced that it will build the 918 Spyder, a road legal version of the 718bhp hybrid sports car that made its debut at the Geneva motor show last year. The company says the hybrid sports car will be limited to just 918 examples and be offered in left-hand drive only in order to ensure exclusivity of the new model. Based on a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque, the 918 Spyder's design DNA is derived from the Carrera GT and Porsche 917 race car as well as the RS Spyder.

Lotus Evora GTE, Elise S (2012) at Frankfurt motor show

Having staid the executioner's blade from above the Evora and delayed its Elan replacement until at least 2016, Lotus is now pushing ahead with a new range of Evoras. Unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show was the most powerful Evora (and road-going Lotus) ever, the GTE, and a revised Evora and Evora S. So how much power does the Lotus Evora GTE have?