Vauxhall Insignia facelift stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Ten years on from the very first Insignia concept, unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2003, Vauxhall is showcasing a new, facelifted Insignia here at Frankfurt 2013. Part of the update to the Insignia is a new internet connectivity feature, which should make life on the road for travelling professionals a bit easier – now you can locate your nearest non-VAT qualifying hot food snack retailer in next to no time… We’re also fans of the rationalised trim range, down from 14 grades to eight for the new car. While the Insignia’s updated engine range boasts impressive efficiency (as we’ll see in a minute), we can’t help wondering if this might have been a good time to introduce a hybrid or range-extender powertrain, trumping Ford and its forthcoming Mondeo Hybrid in the process.

BMW beats Mercedes-Benz to claim first U.S. luxury sales crown

BMW fended off a late-year surge by rival Mercedes-Benz to win its first title as best-selling luxury brand in the United States. BMW said Thursday that U.S. sales rose 15 percent to 26,834 in December, for an annual total of 247,907.

Maserati head to India

Maserati Quattroporte will be the big seller in India It’s not a surprise that Maserati has announced it’s going to enter the marketplace in India, very sensibly in partnership with Indian luxury retailer the Shreyans Group, who also import Ferrari. After all, just about every other car maker is rushing headlong to the sub-continent to cash-in on India’s booming economy and Maserati wants a piece of the action. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Tata selling the Nano for a plate of rice and a cow’s udder, or Bugatti wanting a Maharajah’s Palace in exchange for their hypercar, it’s boom time in India at almost every level of consumption.