Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni (2009)

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 01 July 2009 10:00 Lamborghini has unveiled the limited edition Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni, a new entry-level model, and its first rear-wheel drive supercar since the Diablo. The Italian supercar company has long promised that all its cars will resolutely remain four-wheel drive, but it’s building the two-wheel drive LP550-2 (hence the name) to celebrate its legendary test driver Valentino Balboni. Just 250 will be built.

Mercedes SL (2012): aluminium saves 8% weight

Mercedes' new 2012 SL will weigh a solid 140kg less than today's SL roadster - a significant saving of some 8%. This crash diet has been enabled by the adoption of aluminium for the new SL. The learnings from the SLS gullwing are now trickling down to the higher-volume SL, which will be revealed in December 2011.

Euro NCAP crash tests: hybrids score full marks

By Tim Swietochowski Motor Industry 26 August 2009 14:49 The Toyota Prius 3 and Honda Insight are among seven new cars to achieve five-star safety ratings in the latest Euro NCAP crash tests out today. Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s secretary general said: ‘The technology andknow-how is out there for car makers to deliver vehicles with better pedestrianprotection. Honda and Toyota are giving us a glimpse of the cars of the future thatconsider the natural and social environment in its entirety.’ A Toyota official said hybrids posed new problems for its engineers.