Lincoln aims at luxury crossovers with MKT

In an effort to grow the brand to customers who normally buy imports, Lincoln will offer up a full-size crossover, the MKT, that is due in dealerships in late summer. We saw the Lincoln MKT at the Detroit Auto Show. As sales of full-size sport/utility vehicles decline--Lincoln says industry-wide sales are down 5.2 percent for 2008--sales of crossovers are growing.

Saab gets a ray of hope from China

Victor Muller sees a glimpse of sunshine from China The saga that is the long and painful demise of Saab seemed to reach its nadir last week when courts in Sweden refused to offer the beleaguered car maker sanctuary in its protection. We thought that would be the end for Saab – despite a never-say-die appeal of the decision by Victor Muller, due to be heard tomorrow – with nowhere left to hide from trade supplier debts of €150 million, and the wrath of Sweden’s unions ready to file for Saab’s bankruptcy over unpaid wages for Saab employees. The nadir for Saab should reasonably be followed by its rapid consignment to the annuls of motoring history, but a tiny glimmer of hope has risen from Saab’s putative investors in China.

Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon Limited Edition launches – price from £26,000

Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon Limited Edition (pictured) All the column inches (or whatever the digital equivalent is) for Peugeot’s RCZ since last year have been about the more powerful RCZ R. But that’s no surprise when it comes with a very agreeable 270bhp to play with – enough to push the RCZ R to 62mph in 5.9 seconds – good looks and decent economy. But Peugeot has a whole selection of RCZs lurking below the R, so as it’s obviously time to garner some attention for the R’s lesser siblings we get a limited edition RCZ to bump up sales and footfall in Peugeot showrooms – the Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon Limited Edition.