Minn Kota Trolling Motor Bow Mount on 2040-parts.com

Vauxhall Astra (2009): the first sketches

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 08 September 2008 09:00 Vauxhall has just issued these first official sketches of the new Astra ahead of its launch in 2009 at next year's Frankfurt motor show. Although heavily silhouetted, we can make out an evolution of today's mid-sized hatchback. This sketch is of the coupe-style three-door Astra, but there will again be a more upright five-door and indeed a whole suite of other Astras to fit every pocket.

Ford gets another NO on Volvo

And the beat goes on… Ford has been trawling the world’s car manufacturers (and Governments) for what seems like forever, in an increasingly desperate attempt to off-load its Swedish subsidiary, Volvo. They appear to have tried everyone from the Swedish Government to BMW and Mercedes, with a fair dose of Chinese firms in between (has Ford offered to sell it to you yet? Don’t worry, it won’t be long!) And now Reuters are reporting that yet another Chinese Car Co has declined the offer.

2012 BMW X1 Facelift at New York Show

2012 BMW X1 Facelift The still quite new BMW X1 is getting a minor facelift for 2012 and will debut at the New York Auto Show. It’s really only a couple of years since the debut of the BMW X1, but BMW are already giving it a tweak and a titivate in a 2012 facelift designed, it would seem, to make the compact SUV seem a bit more upmarket; more in line with the rest of the BMW range. Revealed ahead of a debut at the New York Auto Show this month – after which it goes on sale in the US from $31.5k – the latest version of the X1 gets a new front bumper and grill with silver bars, deeper recessed fogs and silver detailing in the lower bumper to give the nose of the X1 more identity and make it a but more urban-warrior trendy.