Nsu Ro80- Lapel Pin (z) on 2040-parts.com

Toyota to end Australian manufacturing in 2017

When Holden announced that it would no longer build cars in Australia after 2017, that country’s flagging automotive industry was effectively put on notice -- Mitsubishi had stopped building cars there in 2008, and Ford says its two plants there will close in October 2016. Now Toyota has announced that it has no option but to end vehicle Australian vehicle production. Like Holden, it will close its factories there in 2017.

Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio: Quattroporte Estate for sale

Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio - built by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera There, and I bet you didn’t even know there was such a thing as a Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio, much less that it was a Quattroporte Estate. But then it’s not an official Maserati job, but it does have a credible provenance. Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera are a company you will have come across once or twice in the last year if you’re a regular visitor to Cars UK.

Formula 1 2012: The Cars [w/video]

Nine of the 12 Formula 1 teams have released images and details of their cars for the 2012 World Championship as the first day of pre-season testing draws to a close at the Jerez circuit in Spain. Motor sport may fall slightly outside of Car Design News' usual remit, but the big story this year is the new 'stepped nose', which all teams bar McLaren have introduced to comply with new safety regulations, much to the chagrin of aestheticists. And with designers such as Daniel Simon (he produced the livery for HRT last season) and Peter Stevens (most notable for the Brabham cars of the 1980s) involved with the sport over the years, it's always interesting to check out the season's new machines.