New Febi Balance Shaft Chain / Timing Chain Kit, 30316 on 2040-parts.com

Quirky cars in Geneva

By Mark Walton Motor Shows 11 March 2008 10:30 Geneva is renowned for throwing up weird and wonderful concepts and prototypes from manufacturers you’ve never heard of, and will probably never see again. While the big manufacturers churn out the same old saloons, hatchbacks and SUVs, the quirky side of Geneva shows us what lateral thinking is all about. Some cars are simply brilliant, some are monstrosities, and this is our guide to both.  K.O 7 My favourite car of the whole show.

McLaren MP4-12C to charge hill at Goodwood with Button and Hamilton at the wheel

The McLaren MP4-12C will make its much-anticipated public debut at Goodwood, and yet another advanced prototype will charge up the famous hill in the supercar portion of the event--driven by none other than McLaren Formula One stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. They'll be piloting the VP9 validation prototype finished in traditional McLaren orange. In addition to the hill charge, a new prototype will be on display with all of the carbon-fiber fittings, including splitter, engine covers and seatbacks.

New Skoda Octavia vRS costs from £22,990

New Skoda Octavia vRS (pictured) costs from £22,990 Skoda’s take on the VW Golf GTI – the Skoda Octavia vRS – was revealed last month ahead of its debut today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and now we know it will costs from £22,990. For your £22,990 you’ll get the Octavia vRS with the 2.0 litre TSI engine delivering 217bhp and 0-62mph of 6.8 seconds. Pay a bit more (£23,260) for the diesel (why would you want to do that?) and you’ll get 181bhp from the 2.0 litre TDI and get to 62mph in 8.1 seconds.