Volvo Penta 3888078 Pulley on 2040-parts.com

Ford to add or retain 12,000 jobs, invest $16 billion under UAW pact

Ford Motor Co. said today it will add or retain 12,000 U.S. jobs as part of $16 billion in planned investments under its new labor agreement with the UAW.

Volkswagen T-ROC SUV Concept points to a Nissan Juke competitor

Volkswagen T-ROC SUV Concept (pictured) heading for Geneva Volkswagen are aiming to expand their lineup of SUVs from the current Tiguan and Touareg to include more options in size and ability to tap in to the growing compact SUV market, and having already previewed the Up!-based Taigun we now get a new VW compact SUV concept aiming to fit in between the Taigun and Tiguan – the Volkswagen T-ROC SUV Concept. Heading for a debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week – and revealed today in a series of design sketches (above) – the T-Roc is a two-door, four-wheel-drive compact SUV with a two-pieced Targa roof. In terms of styling, the T-Toc gets VW’s idea of and evolution of its, rather bland, SUV styling with a new grill providing a more original front end (which has echoes of the Nissan Juke but can be referenced by the Karmann Ghia), a coupe look and that removable Targa roof.

BMW ActiveE – the BMW 1-Series Electric – at Detroit

BMW has reveled the BMW Concept ActiveE at the Detroit Motor Show BMW obviously think there’s room for more than just the MINI E to be punted round the roads by Joe Public to shake out all the wrinkles in their electric car gubbins as they’ve brought along the BMW ActiveE Concept to the Detroit Motor Show – basically an electric BMW 1 Series – which we first reported on back in December. The ActiveE Concept gets a rear mounted electric motor that divvies up 170bhp. Unlike the MINI E BMW has managed to stick the batteries under the car instead of ripping out the back seats to store them.