Omc Cobra 4.3l V6 Aluminum Bellhouse, # 914079 on 2040-parts.com

(Another) Audi A3 e-tron hybrid at Geneva 2013

The Audi A3 e-tron – a hybrid A3 EV based on the A3 Sportback – will debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show as a concept. This Audi A3 e-tron isn’t a pointless electric supercar – like the R8 e-tron – or another rollout of the A3 e-tron BEV, but a hybrid A3 with a proper ICE engine coupled to an electric motor, just like the A3 e-tron concept we saw in Shanghai in 2011 That still means a lot of complicated and heavy technology to game the silly official economy tests and come up with ‘official’ economy figures of 158mpg and 35g/km, but the A3 e-tron would – if it were made – offer big tax breaks for company car drivers. The A3 e-tron gets a 1.4 litre direct injection petrol engine good for 148bhp working with an electric motor good for an extra 100bhp.

Audi Crosslane Coupe concept (2012) - the new Q2!

Audi showed off the new Crosslane Coupe concept car at the Paris motor show in 2012 - and it's basically the new Q2 in show-car drag. Ingolstadt may call it 'a hybrid study providing pointers to the design language of future Audi Q models,' but very senior execs told CAR it is the new Q2. Audi is preparing a raft even-numbered Q models which will provide a lower slung breed of crossover to the family-oriented Q3/Q5/Q7 set.

Ashdown tells of fatal crash escape

LORD ASHDOWN has described his "miraculous" escape from a car crash in which a man died. The former Liberal Democrat leader was being driven home by his wife Jane when they were involved in a three-car pile-up at a notorious accident blackspot. The couple escaped injury but the ex-Marine was unable to do anything to save the life of the driver of another car, 49-year-old Mark Hurford, following the crash on the A356 in Somerset on January 24.