Car ban hits drivers in polluted Paris

The French government has imposed a ban on driving cars in Paris to help reduce the growing pollution problem in the country’s capital that’s spiralling out of control. From today, Monday 17 March 2014, drivers with ‘odd’ and ‘even’ registration plates will only be allowed to drive in the city every other day respectively. This could cut the amount of traffic in the city by half overnight - although reports suggest many drivers plan to flout the rules and swallow the 22-euro fine for breaking the new regulations.

First Sight: BMW 3 Series

With the 7 Series of 2001, Z4 of 2002, X3, 5 and 6 Series of 2003, and 1 Series earlier this year, the current E46 3 Series is the last (X5 excepted) 'old school' BMW in production. These first official pictures show BMW's fifth generation E90 3 Series which replaces this car and completes the new design strategy for the main series BMW range under Design Director Chris Bangle. Now with a smaller sibling in the range, the 3 Series is no longer BMW's entry level car although it shares much of its platform with the 1 Series and it is expected to continue to account for about half of BMW's total sales.

Porsche seeks oldest models in America

Does an AutoWeek reader own one of the oldest Porsches in America? We hope so, and Porsche has thrown open a Web site registry at www.porsche60years.com to find out. Called My Classic Porsche Search, the program is intended to find and document the oldest of the brand's models in the United States as part of the company's celebration of its 60th anniversary in the United States.