Sct Xcalibrator 2 Ford Mustang on 2040-parts.com

BMW M3 engine shown

By Ben Barry Motor Industry 23 March 2007 01:18 BMW has revealed detailed specs on the all-new 4.0-litre V8 that’s soon to be slotted into the all-new M3. Power is confirmed at 420bhp with 295lb ft peak torque available from 3000 to 7000rpm. The engine – made at the same foundry as the BMW Sauber F1 team’s V8 and derived from the same architecture as the M5 and M6 V10 – looks set to dispel any fears M purists may have had that the M3 would be transformed into a nose heavy, slow revving behemoth.

Audi launches showrooms without cars in London

Audi has opened its first digital showroom in London – Audi City – a fully digital showroom for Audi’s entire range near Piccadilly Circus. It’s something of a dilemma for car makers; how to sell their cars in a world that now revolves around the internet and digital access? Traditional car showrooms seem very last century, but choosing a car from a screen at home is still something many are reluctant to do.

Renault Alpine A110-50

As we reported earlier this week, the Renault Alpine A110-50 prototype will be shown at the 2012 Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. Designed by Yann Jarsalle and Concept and Show Car Director Axel Breun the A110-50 effectively relaunches the historic Alpine brand despite being essentially a reworked version of the Renault-branded DeZir concept unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. As well as the addition of various Alpine design cues – the stylized yellow spot lamp pods, central hood flute and blue and orange colorway – the car is built on the platform of the RenaultSport Megane Trophy racecar and so therefore requires cooling provisions for its mid-mounted engine.