Talbot Avenger (1970-1981) New Water Pump Qh Qcp951- on 2040-parts.com

Driven: Volkswagen Passat CC GT

Elegant and refined. Forty years ago these two words would not have been used to describe the Beetles bought in droves by the counterculture in the US; a symbol of the hippy movement and the definitive people's car, designed at a time when Germany sought to put people in motion. With the Passat CC, however, Volkswagen is indeed making a sharp move away from the ‘volks wagen', and these two words rolled off the tongues of those who saw the car in all three countries we drove through on our winter holiday.

Audi pulls plug on €40k A2 electric car

CAR can reveal that Audi has cancelled its electric A2 city car project, citing concerns over the model's projected €40,000 price tag. But the A2 is not the only Audi to be put on ice in Audi's electric car review. The A1 e-tron also looks to have been axed, as Audi slims down its future EV plans.

Peel P50 and Trident back in production – the world’s smallest car

Peel P50 and Peel Trident - backed by James Caan The Peel P50 and Trident – the Isle of Man’s contribution to the car world – are now back in production with an electric motor. Top Gear fans will probably remember Jeremy Clarkson taking the Peel P50 – billed as the world’s smallest car ever – for a trolley round London and the BBC (we’ve published the video below to remind you). Now, with the world obsessed with small cars, a bunch of businessmen – backed by former Dragons’ Den Dragon James Caan – are putting the Peel P50 and Trident back in to production.