Renault unveils four electric concepts at 2009 Frankfurt motor show

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 15 September 2009 12:00 Renault has unveiled four incredible electric concept cars at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, and all four will be in production by the end of 2012. The maddest of all is the tiny Twizy ZE concept, a 1+1 city car that Renault sources have revealed to CAR will go into production in 2011 relatively unchanged. Also on sale in 2011 will be an electric van for commercial buyers, based on the Kangoo ZE concept and mechanically identical to the Be Bop ZE Ben Oliver drove earlier in 2009.

New Range Rover Hybrid targeted at Europe: Frankfurt 2013

The new Range Rover Hybrid (pictured) has diesel power to target Europe It’s not the biggest news at Frankfurt, but the arrival of the Range Rover Hybrid and Range Rover Sport Hybrid is big news for Land Rover, and for buyers running cars who are subject to taxation on benefits. Surprisingly, Land Rover has gone the diesel route with the hybrid, coupling the 3.0 litre diesel engine to a 46bhp electric motor which, when working together, offers the same sort of performance as the V8 diesel engine but with much better economy and emissions – 44mpg and 169g/km. Logic would perhaps have dictated that the new hybrid should have a petrol engine, rather than a diesel, as the biggest hybrid markets in the world – the US and China – have no real appetite for diesel engines.

2013 Kia Sorento facelift revealed

2013 Kia Sorento facelift The 2013 Kia Sorento facelift has been revealed ahead of a debut at the New York Motor Show in April. Ahead of a public debut at the New York Motor Show in April, Kia has revealed a facelift for the Sorento crossover / SUV, although it’s not exactly comprehensive. Top of the noticeable stuff on the new Sorento is the adoption of the latest Kia signature grill, with a reddeigned front bumper and tweaks to the air intakes and fogs.