Lancia Fulvia 69 - Cylinder Head Gasket, Testa Cilindri, 2250636 on 2040-parts.com

Queen’s hat causes car problem in France

Renault | AP The French president has a problem: it turns out none of the Citroen cars currently at his disposal are large enough to accommodate the Queen’s customary hats. So for Her Majesty’s state visit on 6 June, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, president Francois Hollande has ordered an old Renault out of retirement to make sure the Queen has the necessary headroom. On Bing: see pictures of the Queen’s cars60 years of Royal cars President Hollande is generally seen in a Citroen DS5, as this is the most prestigious French-made car currently available; alternatively he also has routine access to the slightly more limo-like Citroen C6.

New Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV plug-in hybrid goes on sale. Price from £28,249

The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (pictured) goes on sale in the UK The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV arrived at the Paris Motor Show in 2012, and although it’s already available in Europe it’s only now going on sale in the UK. And it does offer a compelling package. Mitsubishi say the Outlander PHEV is the most practical vehicle qualifying for the UK’s £5,000 grant for low emission cars, and instead of charging really silly prices for their new plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi have pitched it so buyers pay no more at entry-level (after the grant) than they would for its diesel equivalent.

Saab ends deal with Chinese investors

Saab owner Swedish Automobile scrapped a $340 million investment deal with Chinese automotive companies Zhejiang Youngman Lotus and Pang Da after they proposed a buyout, straying from the original deal. Youngman and Pang Da signed a nonbinding agreement in July to take a combined 53.9 percent stake in Swedish Automobile. The Chinese companies say circumstances have changed since that time, so the deal should too.