Nissan Pickup Battery Hold Down Assembly 1990-1997 on 2040-parts.com

Fiat makes bid to buy Opel

The proposed partnership between Fiat and Chrysler has been thrown into a tailspin with revelations that the Italian carmaker has made a secret offer to purchase a majority stake in Opel. Klaus Franz, chairman of Opel's works council, on Thursday confirmed Fiat's interest in a takeover of General Motors' European subsidiary, suggesting that officials have cleared the way for the signing of a letter of intent as early as April 28. Opel has been in talks with parts supplier Magna International on a possible partnership over the past month.

VW Passat Alltrack 4motion (2012) goes on sale

Volkswagen is launching its own cut-price rival to those mud-loving Allroad models from Audi in May 2012 – the new Passat Alltrack 4motion. It's a Passat estate in a Barbour and green wellies, its ride height hoiked up and with 4motion all-wheel drive boosting traction for soft-roading and pulling horseboxes over slippery grass. VW quotes a two-tonne towing capacity – 200kg greater than an equivalent Passat estate.

Jaguar XFR Speed Pack

Jaguar has revealed a Speed Pack for the XFR, raising the top speed to 174mph and adding cosmetic tweaks. We have been expecting Jaguar to arrive at the Paris Motor Show next month with an XFR-S, an XFR with the same power boost as the XKR-S to offer an XFR that can hold its own against the new M5. That may still be happening, but perhaps Jaguar are only planning on giving us a low-fat upgrade to the XFR in the form of the XFR Speed Pack, revealed at the Moscow Motor Show?