Toyota Allion 2004 Trunk Panel [2415301] on 2040-parts.com

Renault Twingo and Clio Grand Tour

By Ben Whitworth Motor Shows 08 March 2007 10:12 French but sans le funky look A busy show stand for Renault – as well as unveiling its new Twingo city car, the French manufacturer pulled the wraps off a thinly disguised version of its upcoming Clio estate to take on its Fabia and Peugeot 207 wagon rivals. After the funked up coolness of the Twingo concept car shown at the Paris Motor Show last year, we are more than a little underwhelmed by the production Twingo. Renault is keen to move away from the utilitarian look and feel of the original model – it will leave cheap and cheerful sales to the Clio Campus – and pitch the new model at sharper-suited rivals like the Mini.

The UK's most vandalised car is BMW's X5

BMW X5 buyers beware: you own the UK's most vandalised car. The big BMW has long been a fixture in the top 10 – 7th in 2011, 4th in 2012 – but now it has risen to the top of the table that summarises a nastier side of our society. The data is collected from swiftcover.com's annual Vehicle Vandalism Index, and this year's results highlight a dramatic shift in the type of vehicles listed in the top 10.

McLaren F1 designer signs on with Florida start-up

A small Florida company with hopes of making green performance cars has landed a big name. Rivian Automotive said this week that it has signed on Peter Stevens--the designer of the McLaren F1--as its director of design. It hopes to bring its first car to market in 2013 and launch more in 2014.