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Aston Martin and Mercedes 'to strike €300m deal'

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 22 October 2008 21:25 CAR Online today lifts the lid on the secret deal – codenamed Romeo and Juliet – being hammered out between Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz. We have sensational details of the alliance, including a plan for hybrid Aston Martins, the full range of proposed Lagonda models and even a possible DB10 and 4x4 from the Aston Martin Lagonda stable. Back in August 2008, we revealed how the British sports car maker was in talks with the German giant over future cooperation (read our original Aston-Merc scoop here).

SkyTran to trial maglev two-seater transport system in Israel

California-based skyTran has signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to build a test version of its patented maglev transport network.  The 500 meter-long demonstrator will begin operation late next year, and is designed to prove the system's potential for reducing road congestion by lifting passengers above the highway, into space that's not currently utilized. The skyTran system is a network of computer-controlled, two-person vehicles that use maglev technology. Users will request one of the system's two-seater pods to the nearest available station using a smartphone app.

Petrol cars twice as likely to fail MOT on emissions

The latest MOT test data shows that 26.2% of all cars tested fail on excess exhaust emissions – and surprisingly petrol cars fail more than twice as often as diesels in this part of the annual roadworthiness test. According to the official Vehicle Operator and Standard Agency (VOSA) figures, which cover all of 2010 and the first nine months of 2011, 9.7% of petrol cars failed to meet MOT emissions standards compared to just 3.9% of diesels. On Bing: see pictures of the MOT test Find out how much a used car with 12 months MOT costs on Auto Trader The analysis has been carried out by fuel additive “provider” Redex, which naturally has an interest in the findings, since its products are designed to breakdown engine deposits and improve efficiency.