Classic style for road-ready Beetle Dune

A VERY special Volkswagen Beetle has hit the coastal roads of northern Germany, and it might just arrive in showrooms soon, too. The new Beetle Dune concept captures a little of the spirit of the classic version, with 50mm of extra ride height, big, bold wheels and a rear-mounted ski rack. It looks stunning on the move, where its broad-spoked 19-inch wheels look almost like solid discs of polished metal and the ski rack has the visual effect of an old-school Porsche 911-esque spoiler.

Aston Martin Shop – at the Nurburgring

Aston Martin has opened a 2500 sq ft shop at the Nurburgring selling accessories and trinkets And now Aston Martin has decided it’s time to play shopkeeper, so they have opened up a new merchandise store at the Nurburgring. And they’re in good company, as both Nissan and Ferrari have recently done the same. But this is as much about the Nurburgring’s intention of becoming a leisure and business centre as it is about being a sales refuge for beleaguered car makers.

Lord Charles March takes the 2013 Aston Martin Vanquish up the Goodwood Hillcimb (video)

Lord Charles March – he of the Goodwood Festival of Speed – takes the 2013 Aston Martin Vanquish up the Goodwood hillclimb. The Hillclimb is a 1.16 mile road course, starting at the bottom corner of the Goodwood Estate where you take off on a tree-lined avenue before sweeping right and up past the main house before you enter a steep and narrow estate road, past unforgiving flint walls and woodland, before ending up by Goodwood’s racecourse at the top of the South Downs. It’s a thrilling run in almost any car (yes, we’ve been privileged to do it more than once) and now, with the ‘Moving Motor Show’ part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, many more are getting the chance to try the hillclimb in car makers’ latest offerings - admittedly not usually at full tilt.