Mitsubishi Minicab 2008 Assistant Seat [0270600] on 2040-parts.com

Stop-Start Freelander on the way

Land Rover has announced that it will be introducing stop-start technology on its Freelander range from May 2009, thus saving around 8% on the Co2 emissions, and taking the Freelander down a group on VED, which should help move a few more Freelanders off forecourts next year. The technology for the stop-start was developed in-house, with a new engine management system coming from Bosch and an uprated starter from Denso. The stop-start option will be available on the 2.2 TD4, which accounts for nearly half of UK sales.

Bentley SUV to get W12 engine

The Bentley SUV will get a W12 engine option Back in July we had the talkative Bentley boss Wolfgang Dürheimer musing that Bentley will produce the ultimate luxury SUV, with plans to take the underpinnings from sister company Porsche’s Cayenne and make the most opulent SUV on the planet. The plan for a Bentley SUV has been around for a while, but the perception by car makers that big SUVs were unpalatable to the general public in these eco-obsessed times meant plans by many car makers to build an SUV were left to gather dust on the shelves. But those car makers who chose to ignore the brickbats directed at big SUVs have proved that there is big demand for luxury monsters (the Cayenne has turned in to Porsche’s biggest cash cow) and that the anti-SUV lobby was simply a very small bunch of eco-mentalists making headlines.

Crazy Skoda concept set to wow crowds

TAKE ONE Skoda Citigo, chop its roof off, install some neon lighting under the chassis and you get the Skoda apprentices’ dream car, apparently. The CitiJet is the madcap brainchild of 16 budding Skoda designers, who were tasked with creating their ideal car out of an existing Skoda model. Effectively, a Citigo Sport has been turned into an open-top city slicker, but don’t ask how the roof closes because there isn’t one.