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Queen’s hat causes car problem in France

Renault | AP The French president has a problem: it turns out none of the Citroen cars currently at his disposal are large enough to accommodate the Queen’s customary hats. So for Her Majesty’s state visit on 6 June, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, president Francois Hollande has ordered an old Renault out of retirement to make sure the Queen has the necessary headroom. On Bing: see pictures of the Queen’s cars60 years of Royal cars President Hollande is generally seen in a Citroen DS5, as this is the most prestigious French-made car currently available; alternatively he also has routine access to the slightly more limo-like Citroen C6.

Frankfurt auto show: Mercedes-Benz previews the electric B-class

Mercedes-Benz revealed an electric-powered B-class with range-extending capabilities at the Frankfurt motor show. This rounds out the company's line of standard gasoline- and diesel-engine versions in the second generation of the multipurpose fiver-seater. Set to go on sale in selected markets in 2013, the B-class E-cell Plus is propelled by a 136-hp electric motor that draws electricity from a lithium-ion battery mounted low within the car's MFA platform structure.

Rowan Atkinson prangs the McLaren – again

Rowan Atkinson in his McLaren F1 We don’t usually do accidents and supercars on Cars UK. To us, it seems horribly ghoulish and somehow perverse to seek enjoyment, not just from the misery of others, but from the destruction of beautiful cars. But this is Rowan Atkinson and his beloved McLaren F1.