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Toyota sets Nurburgring record... for fuel economy

WHATEVER else you might say about Toyota, it seems the brand has a sense of humour. Driving enthusiasts will hand their (petrol)heads in shame after Toyota completed the 12.9-mile German track at an average of 698mpg. The embarrassingly pedestrian time of 20 minutes and 59 seconds was set by motor journalist and Japanese car expert Joe Clifford, and since Toyota is the first to shame itself with a fuel economy run at the heart of performance car testing, it automatically sets a new efficiency record.

Smart FourJoy concept

The Smart FourJoy concept will preview next year's all-new four-seat model at the Frankfurt motor show. Unlike the ForFour (2004-06) that paid only lip service to the brand's iconic city car, this promises to be a true Smart, with the familiar Tridon safety shell, minimal overhangs and plastic panels. At 3,494mm long it's around a meter longer than the original two-seat version but still significantly shorter than a Mini.

Record British car exports

By Ben Oliver Motor Industry 29 January 2008 11:27 Britain exported more cars in 2007 than in any previous year, with total production up six percent to over 1.5 million. A record 1.18m cars, or 77 percent of production, were sent overseas. Britain’s record year for car production was 1972, when 1.9m cars were produced.