Volvo V40 range gets new Drive-E engines

From May this year Volvo will update its V40 model, equipping the premium Swedish hatchback with its range of high-efficiency Drive-E engines and Volvo’s latest eight-speed automatic gearbox. This means the revised V40 line-up now offers an impressive performance to efficiency ratio, with 190hp on offer in the D4 turbodiesel variant, returning a claimed 74.3mpg combined with 99g/km CO2 when mated to the six-speed manual. On Bing: see pictures of the Volvo V40 Find out how much a used Volvo V40 costs on Auto Trader This makes it even more efficient than the current, less powerful 177hp, 185g/km D4 turbodiesel.

VW Concept BlueSport at Detroit auto show 2009

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 12 January 2009 05:29 CAR's been tipping it for ages, but today we finally saw the first proof of VW's ambitions to build a Lotus Elise-style back-to-basics roadster. The Concept BlueSport is a mid-engined sports car with the emphasis firmly on the lack of frills – to the benefit of performance, handling and the car's environmental credentials. The BlueSport is compact at just 3999mm long and that mid-mounted engine keeps weight distribution even-Stevens at 45:55.

McLaren P12 hypercar confirmed for Paris debut

McLaren has confirmed its new flagship model, code-named P12, will make its world debut at the Paris motor show, the first time the company has attended an auto show in its recent history. The announcement was accompanied by a teaser image of the car that appears to feature an unusually low scuttle height and a glass canopy. First impressions suggest it may offer some respite from the current crop of rather uneventful-looking supercars.