Magnaflow Universal Catalytic Converter 94415 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo reveals C30 BEV electric car

By Tom Sharpe First Official Pictures 17 September 2009 11:44 Battery power is back on the menu at Volvo with this, a C30 plug-in hybrid. The electric Volvo C30 BEV wasn’t at Frankfurt, and the Swedes announced the zero-emissions runaround today – along with details of a 92-mile range, 80mph top speed and 0-62mph sprint of less than 11 seconds. The BEV stands for Battery Electric Vehicle and Volvo’s new plug-in hybrid could be introduced to the C30 range by 2012, bosses say.

Vauxhall Adam price from £11,255: Paris 2012

The Vauxhall Adam – Vauxhall and Opel’s MINI competitor – will start from £11,255 when it goes on sale in January 2013. And with prices announced from £11,255 it looks like the Adam may just have a fighting chance of taking a piece of the market dominated by MINI and the Fiat 500. Of course, GM are hoping that no one who goes in to a Vauxhall showroom will go out with a basic car – a vast array of style and customisation options are the order of the day with the Adam – but the headline starting point is a decent one.

Pininfarina family to lose control of company

The Pininfarina family is set to lose its controlling share stake in the company as it takes a step closer to restructuring its €76 million net debt. The Italian design firm, founded in 1930, has been plagued with debt in recent years, shutting its manufacturing branch in 2011 to concentrate purely on design, ending a joint venture with Volvo that saw the company assemble Volvo's C70. The move is seen as a positive one for the company in the long-term, making it more financially secure for future developments, but it also means that the Pininfarina family will lose control of the company by selling its 77 percent share.