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BMW Concept Active Tourer – It’s the BMW B Class

The BMW Concept Active Tourer has been revealed ahead of the Paris Motor Show, previewing BMW’s new FWD direction. We recently had Mercedes roll out their take on the BMW 1 Series with the new A Class, and now the roles are reversed with BMW revealing their take on the Mercedes B Class with the BMW Concept Active Tourer. The BMW Concept Active Tourer is a preview of BMW’s front wheel drive future in the small premium sector, even if the Concept Active Tourer is notionally 4WD thanks to its a 67bhp electric motor driving the back axle in this hybrid setup.

Hot seats: from design to delivery [sponsored]

As the user demands on car interiors are increasingly influenced by their growing design consciousness, so suppliers like Lear strive to bring better-engineered seating to satisfy. 2013 was another big year for Lear, as Jeanette Puig-Pey, its global fabric & leather design manager, enthuses: "At our ‘Design2Perform' event we celebrated the unveiling of our brand new collection, with special emphasis on color and texture and our TeXstyle Enhance product, perfect for customization. Laser etching is part of this offering, it is exclusive to Lear Corporation and can be used to add refined design elements to cloth and leather." A mix of fabric and leather in seating is not new but is often seen by the consumer as a cheaper alternative to full leather.

Mazda BT-50 pick-up truck (2010) news, photos

Mazda is unveiling its new Mazda BT-50 pick-up at the 2010 Australian International Motor Show this week. As befits a car launched in Oz, the new BT-50 is a lifestyle pick-up or ute aimed as much at the leisure market as brickies.   Previously, Mazda had only issued the design sketch above, but today the company issued the first official pictures of its new truck. There's been a gaping hole in Mazda's UK line-up this year as the previous model was on run-out; the BT-50 used to sell in reasonable numbers, but waning sales and shifting tax systems have made the pick-up market shrink and Mazda only sells a few hundred here in a typical year.That's why there are no plans to launch the new BT-50 in the UK – despite it being homologated for Europe.These first official photos show the new BT-50 offers an interpretation of Mazda's family face with the sweeping five-pointed grille and sweptback headlamps.