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Volvo confirms big production increase for V60 Plug-in Hybrid

Volvo has been building around 150 V60 Plug-ins a week at its facility in Torslanda – alongside the regular V60, V70, S80 and XC90 – but that is now set to be upped to 282 cars a week for the rest of 2013, with plans to build at least 10,000 in 2014. The fact is that the V60 is a very appealing estate car already, and bolting a plug-in hybrid setup has turned it in to a big hit in showrooms because the barking mad official economy and emissions system bestows the V60 plug-in with emissions of just 48g/km, making it a real no-brainer in countries where governments blindly tax cars based on their official emissions. That means countries like Holland, where Volvo has received more than 3,000 orders for the V60 Plug-in, and the UK are lapping up the hybrid offering from Volvo as a way to escape big taxes and still have a swift (0-62mph in 6.1 seconds), appealing and stylish car.

Eric Clapton’s Ferrari SP12 EC ‘Official’

Eric Clapton’s new Ferrari was all over the place in March as it sat in pride of place in a glass box at H.R. Owen’s in London. Except officially it wasn’t God’s new Fezza as Ferrari weren’t offering up any official information.

Mercedes-Benz reveals all-new C-Class

Mercedes-Benz has uncovered the new C-Class – a model aimed at toppling the all-conquering BMW 3 Series. Benefitting from the full might of Mercedes’ technological arsenal, the new C-Class is the most advanced version yet by a clear margin… and in some respects, is the most sophisticated vehicle the junior executive class has ever seen, too. It also takes on a sleek new look, owing plenty to the highly-praised new S-Class, while the interior offers, says Mercedes, an experience akin to stepping from economy class to business class on an aircraft.