Vetus Bullflex Coupling Type-4 Shaft 30mm Bulfl0430 on 2040-parts.com

Renault Initiale Paris stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

It may seem like a strange idea for Renault to launch its Initiale Paris premium sub-brand at a German motor show, but it could turn out to be quite an astute move. The French brand is hoping to take on the Germans with Initiale Paris, so showcasing this rather wonderful concept in Frankfurt is a clear signal of intent. Renault says this Initiale Paris concept previews the next generation Espace, but we can't help but see a massive dollop of Renault Avantime when we take a wander around the car.

Mopar offers high-performance parts for 2013 SRT Viper

Mopar is introducing a group of high-performance parts for the 2013 SRT Viper, which begins production next month. Braces, coil-overs, exhaust systems and more will be available when the first car rolls off the line. A performance cross car engine X-brace will cost $3,175.

Land Rover Defender to be built in Sri Lanka

The Land Rover Defender is to be built outside the UK in a new plant in Sri Lanka to produce Defenders for the region. Land Rover are assisting and training staff at a new assembly plant in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, run by Sathosa Motors PLC in a 50-50 deal with Land Rover distributors SML Frontier Automotive, with $1 million being invested to get the project up and running this year. It seems clear from the level of investment that this is simply an assembly operation using CKD kits from the UK for the Defender, but Sri Lank’s Daily News is reporting that there are plans to invest $500 million in the project.