Polaris 7191017 Decal-door Mid Rh on 2040-parts.com

Ford Cortina: 50 years ago today…

Ford are celebrating 50 years since the first Ford Cortina was launched and changed the car landscape forever. The Ford Cortina went on to sell an impressive 4.3 million during its twenty year life, eventually turning in to the Ford Sierra and then in to the Ford family car of today – the 2013 Ford Mondeo (which, interestingly, can be had with the 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine – smaller even than the 1200cc of that first Cortina). That first Cortina was the start of Ford’s dominance of the UK car market, leading to an unbroken run of 35 years as the best selling car brand with most of the Cortinas, almost 3 million of them, built at Dagenham – in the days Ford actually built cars here.

Reproducing reality – X-Rite’s Total Appearance Capture

Total Appearance Capture isn't some sinister new form of identity theft but a revolutionary method of digitizing physical models using a new scanning technology, with the ability to capture extraordinary detail and all input and output light. The system, from coatings color measurement experts X-Rite, combines color, texture, gloss and other surface characteristics into a digital material ‘description' that can be imported directly to computer-aided design programs. What sets it apart from previously available methods is its ability to collect information on complex materials such as textiles, leather, basketwork, stone, coatings and plated finishes, in a 3D scene lit by a virtual studio environment.

New Infiniti Q50 starts at £27,950 for the Q50 2.2d

Infiniti are pinning the new Q50′s sporting credibility on Sebastian Vettel (pictured) Infiniti are hanging their future sales on a name change that sounds like a James Bond reference – with all Infiniti models now getting the ‘Q’ prefix – and Sebastian Vettel’s input and endorsement of the brand – he’s Infiniti’s Director of Performance (well, there’s a price to pay for Infiniti’s Red Bull sponsorship). The first outing for Infiniti ‘Q’ in the UK is the new Infiniti Q50, which gets a four cylinder 2.2 litre turbo diesel as its entry-level, and it looks quite promising with 168bhp and 295lb/ft of torque and emissions of 115g/km, which should mean official economy around 65mpg. Standard features on the Q50 2.2d include Infiniti inTouch (so you can Tweet and Like on the go), Infiniti Drive Mode Selector, Stop-Start, rear view camera, Climate, 17″ alloys, Voice and Bluetooth.