Oem Audi A3 Axle Assembly on 2040-parts.com

Rinspeed XchangE concept previews cabin of self-driving cars

Ever wondered what you'll be doing in your car once cars become driverless? We'd probably just sit in the back seat and read the financial section of the paper (on some kind of transparent tablet computer, of course) to see how our Tesla shares are doing and make small talk about the weather with our imaginary chauffeur named James in a faux British accent, asking him to pass the Grey Poupon from time to time. But unlike us, coachbuilder Rinspeed is actually taking the yet-to-materialize issue seriously, and at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show it will debut its XchangE concept.

First Sight: BMW 1 Series

This is the first BMW to compete in the premium lower medium European car class defined by cars such as the Audi A3 and Alfa Romeo 147, although spiritually it follows the significantly smaller BMW 2002 Touring produced from 1968 to 1976. A little more compact that the 3 Series (which will grow in size with next year's new model) the 1 Series effectively replaces the 3 Series-based Compact and extends the brand downward to just above the Mini. The 1 Series was previewed by the CS1 two door convertible concept shown two years ago at Geneva, with which it shares much of its exterior proportions and form, and some interior design themes.

Fiat 500L five-door spotted

Autoweek spotted this manufacturer-plated Fiat 500L earlier this week on the streets of suburban Detroit. With its round headlights and cheerful grille, the five-door hatchback's resemblance to its three-door cousin is apparent even under its coat of liberally applied camouflage. While the 500L and the smaller 500 models share similar styling cues, the subcompact hatch is not just a slightly stretched 500 with two extra doors.