Leece Neville Shaft A064101347 on 2040-parts.com

Porsche launches brand new Macan compact SUV

PORSCHE has unveiled its new Macan compact SUV, which has been tipped to take its sector by storm. At 4.68 metres long and 1.92 metres wide, the smaller brother to the hugely successful Cayenne is a considerably more manageable size than its full-size sibling, as well as being more affordable and still packed with performance. Two closely-related turbocharged petrol engines are being touted by Porsche as the initial flagship powerplants.

Lotus Elise S Cup R poised for US consumption

Lotus can’t sell its road cars in North America anymore (dang safety regulations!), but that won’t stop them from sending some hardcore track vehicles here for the true enthusiasts. Enter the Lotus Elise S Cup R. The Cup R variant of the Elise sports a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 217 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque with help from a Magnuson R900 supercharger.

Volt, Leaf win top safety rating in crash test

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars won the highest safety ratings in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, putting them in the top 57 percent of models tested so far this year. About 80 of 140 vehicles tested among 2011-2012 models have received the Institute's "top safety pick," the group's award for state-of-the-art crash protection that exceeds federal safety rules, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. The Volt and Leaf received a "good" rating -- the highest of four rankings -- on each of four crash tests, said the Institute, which is funded by auto insurers including State Farm, All-State and Geico.