2014 Audi R8 to drop manual gearbox

2014 Audi R8 to lose manual gearbox It’s reported that the new Audi R8 – due in 2104 after a facelift in 2012 – will lose the manual gearbox option. It’s at least two years before the next generation Audi R8 arrives in 2014, but if reports from CAR are right then Audi’s next sporting flagship will do without a manual gearbox altogether. With all that’s on offer in the current R8 apart from the manual ‘box being the rather poor R-Tronic ‘box, that may seem like a recipe for sales disaster for the R8.

BMW recalls 132,000 cars for fuel-pump fixes

BMW is recalling about 130,000 cars fitted with its N54 twin-turbo six-cylinder engine to repair a faulty high-pressure fuel pump. The recall covers the 2007-10 335i; the 2008-10 135i, 535i and X6 xDrive35i, and the 2009-10 Z4 sDrive35i. BMW says about 40,000 of those cars will need a new fuel pump.

Problems with your McLaren MP4-12C? Have a ‘McLaren: The Wins’ coffee table book

Ron Dennis apologises to McLaren MP4-12C owners A couple of weeks ago we reported that McLaren was having some teething problems with their new MP4-12C but weren’t, despite reports to the contrary, halting production. The problems seemed to be mainly software related, with issues including warning lights flashing on and battery drainage issues, which seemed to be because the MP4-12C’s electronics didn’t turn off when the car was halted. But it seemed McLaren were working on the issues with the same sort of zeal we’ve come to recognise from their F1 programme, no doubt spurred on by the wrath of Ron Dennis.