Toyota Crown Majesta 1995 Multi Monitor [0361300] on 2040-parts.com

Nissan ads stray from focus on price

Nissan North America will stray from the discount-deal marketing pitch adopted late last year when a sinking economy kept consumers away from U.S. dealerships. A TV ad campaign that begins on Thursday will tout the loftier messages of safety, quality and performance.

New Mercedes S-Class Plug-in Hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

The new Mercedes S-Class (pictured) will arrive with a plug-in hybrid version in September We’ve known Mercedes were planning a plug-in hybrid version of the new S-Class as far back as 2009, and it now appears it will debut – as a 2014 model – at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. When Mercedes revealed the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid Concept at Frankfurt in 2009, they had fitted it with a V6 petrol engine mated to a 44kw motor and a bank of lithium-ion batteries, and promised the hybrid S-Class would do 90mpg, have emissions of under 75g/km and manage 18 miles in EV mode. That means the hybrid S-Class would have performance comparable to the V8 petrol-engined S500 but attract no BIK or VED in the UK.

Hyundai ix20

Hyundai has revealed the first images of its new ix20, a new B-segment MPV that will join the Korean automaker's product range in Europe later this year. Following on from the ix35, the ix20 is the second European car to adopt Hyundai's new 'fluidic sculpture' design language.  The new car, which will make its official debut at the Paris motor show, has been designed and developed at Hyundai's European R&D center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, under the direction of Thomas Buerkle. The car's name is said to reflect the new model's crossover-like versatility, which combines functionality with sportier driving dynamics.  Hyundai claims the ix20 aims to steer away from the boxy minivan image typically associated with the segment and appeal to buyers with young families.