Mercruiser Valve 52365 on 2040-parts.com

USED CAR BUYER CONFIDENCE “UNLIKELY TO IMPROVE” IN 2011 SAYS RAC

USED CAR buyer confidence is unlikely to improve significantly in 2011, meaning that demand for safety net products such as extended warranties will remain strong, says RAC Warranty. The company points out that at the end of 2010, used car warranties are still being enhanced – by both length of time and depth of cover – at around the same rates as during the worst parts of the recession, indicating that the mood of consumers remains cautious. Ian Simpson, sales and marketing director, said: “Next year, the measures that the coalition Government has undertaken to reduce public spending will really start to bite and that will have a definite impact on general confidence.

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid – details

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid will show at Frankfurt The principle difference between the standard Prius and this new plug-in version is – you’ll never guess – that it adds the ability to charge the Prius’ batteries through a domestic outlet. The Prius can be fully recharged in around 1.5 hours, and the new lithium-ion battery pack – which replaces the old nickel-metal hydride pack in the regular Prius – is more compact and of higher output. Toyota claim that the plug-in Prius can cover round 12.5 miles on a full charge in pure ‘Electric Mode’, which is around double that of the normal Prius.

Concept Car of the Week: Citroën Camargue (Bertone) 1972

Coachbuilder Bertone presented the Camargue at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show as a 2+2 coupe alternative to the quirky Citroën GS hatchback. Named after the coastal region in the south of France, the Camargue was aimed to appeal to a young trend-conscious target audience. Penned by Marcello Gandini, the silhouette remained undoubtedly Citroën with a long overhang at the front, short at the rear and a long, sloping roofline.