Seat Leon Cupra 280 breaks Nürburgring lap record (2014)

By Ollie Kew Motor Industry 05 March 2014 11:00 You’re looking at the fastest front-wheel drive car ever to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife: the Seat Leon Cupra 280. A paddleshift DSG-equipped three-door example has lapped the 12-mile lap in 7min 58.44sec – smashing the previous record of 8min 7.97sec, held by the Renaultsport Megane Trophy. It's a slap in Honda's face too: the Japanese maker wanted its new Civic Type-R to be the first sub-8min hatch.

Series 51 Bentley Continental Frankfurt launch

A series 51 Bentley customised interior But these sorts of services are normally only offered at the very top end. But to make it easier for customers on their ‘Entry-Level’ models, Bentley is launching ‘Series 51‘, a set of customisation options for the Bentley Continental GT and GTC. Series 51 is named after the year in which Bentley’s original styling department was created by John Blatchley.

Is this the Audi Q4 crossover?

Audi has released three official sketches of a new TT-inspired crossover concept set to make its debut at the Beijing auto show later this month. The high-riding crossover, whose details are being kept secret for now, is rumored to preview the upcoming Audi Q4 – Ingolstadt's answer to the likes of the BMW X4 and Porsche Macan. The new five-door shares design cues with the three-door Allroad Shooting Brake wheeled out at the Detroit auto show back in January, suggesting Audi is well into a series of new sporting crossover-style SUV models that will line up alongside the more practical SUV offerings already on sale today.