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Next-gen Passat to offer hybrid and twin-turbo power

VOLKSWAGEN is going even more upmarket with the all-new version of the Passat, which is due to hit showrooms later this year. Soon buyers will be able to include a plug-in hybrid and an all-new 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel among their forecourt options, as VW goes chasing after its sister company Audi. Weight-saving measures have chopped up to 85kg from the new kid on a like-for-like basis, which helps achieve VW's stated efficiency boosts of 20% versus equivalent outgoing Passats.

Twizy Renault Sport F1 concept is a completely bonkers EV

Based on the  strange little Renault Twizy EV commuter golf buggy, the Twizy Renaultsport F1 concept gets a mad body kit to make it look like something out of a Star Wars film, with huge wings, side pods, a rear diffuser and a yellow paint job that evokes Renault’s sporting heritage. But it’s under the skin where the interesting stuff lurks. Renault has fitted the Twizy with an F1 inspired KERS system that fits where the back seat used to be (yes, the F1 Twizy is a toy just for one) which chucks an extra 79bhp at the Twizy’s existing electric motor when fully charged, enough to scoot the F1 Twizy to 62mph in just 6 seconds.

Race-ready Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X revealed

The Dodge Viper special editions continue, and on Thursday a turnkey race car, called the Viper SRT10 ACR-X, broke cover. It's not street-legal and is upgraded with a slew of performance modifications aimed at racing enthusiasts. Power grows by 40 hp, to 640 hp, for the 8.4-liter V10.