Suzuki Tiller Handle Kit / #63002-99e06-oep / New / on 2040-parts.com

Color & trim focus: Six of Poltrona Frau’s auto collaborations

Collaborations between the car industry and the world of product design are fraught with difficulties, are usually fleeting and all too often end in (marketing department) tears. One of the few possible exceptions is Italian leather and furniture company Poltrona Frau. Its 102-year history includes the 904 ‘Vanity Fair' chair from 1930 and the more-recent 2009 Archibald chair by Jean-Marie Massaud.

Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro with 496bhp at Worthersee

Audi A1 Clubsport quattro at Worthersee gets a huge 496bhp It’s Wörthersee Tour 2011 time – heaven on earth for VW Group nutters – and this year Audi has put together a very warm A1 with 496bhp – the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro – to tantalise and torment Audi-philes. Tease and torment because there’s not much chance the A1 Clubsport will make it in to production any time soon, although it’s always possible something similar could see the light of day as the Audi RS1 – a tempting proposition. But first we’ll have to see the Audi S1 quattro.

Ford Focus Electric debut

2012 Ford Focus Electric - debuted at CES Las Vegas We expected Ford to debut the electric version of the new Focus at the Detroit Motor Show next week until they did the whole ‘Electric Focus Tease‘ thing last week. Just like Audi with their latest e-Tron Spyder, Ford has chosen to take the wraps off at the CES in Las Vegas. Which is probably as clear an indication as you need that the car’s place in the marketplace is becoming blurred with the push towards electric cars.