This years Geneva motor show has had a fair few cars aimed at young males in their twenties who like to look good but without breaking the bank at the same time – I think the word used is ‘dynamic’. This is the exact demographic that this bubble shaped 2+2 Fiat 500 Coupe Zagato.

The roof is shaped with twin domes that swoop back toward the rear of the car, from the side this creates a much smoother profule compared to the standard Fiat 500. Even though the cars footprint and chassis is exactly the same as the normal 500 it will be the first to receive the 103bhp turbo charged TwinAir two-cylinder petrol engine. Delivering nippy city performance whilst online emitting 95g per KM of CO2.

The interior reflects the bright yellow bodywork with black and yellow upholstery and includes a phone dock which is another trait aimed at the ‘dynamic’ consumer this car is aimed at. This is Fiat’s answer to Citroen’s and Mini’s upcoming coupes and although still a concept is very likely to go into production.

What do you think?

McLaren has kept competitors guessing this week refusing to launch their 2011 MP4-26 formula 1 car until yesterday and it seems they are keeping some things under wraps until they officially test the car.

The car has a few features that are clearly different from last years model, the nose appears to be higher and longer, the air box has been revised, the side pods are now L-shaped and of course the rear diffuser has changed dramatically from 2010’s car.

If rumours are true yesterdays’ unveiling wasn’t the finished article with McLaren expected to introduce new parts when they test the car over the next few weeks.

The various Police forces of the UK are set to save £3.4 million this year by standardising the way they purchase cars and the way they maintain them. The new agreement will mean constabularies from across the country will only be able to select from four different manufacturers.

The new deal will also mean that all police cars will all carry the same livery, currently each force chooses and purchases their own designs – this part of the initiative is a logical way of saving money but is only the start of the new measures. The cars will also use the same lights, safety and equipment and technology.

The car choices will be broken down into 18 categories depending on the need and particular department.

David Horne, of the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA), said: “Through collaboration, we are able to standardize how police vehicles are used across the UK, which means further efficiencies are possible in areas like training and mutual-aid.”

The current annual spend stands at around £83 million, this covers the costs of buying and maintaining a fleet of 5,600 vehicles.

Forces must now select from a Ford Fiesta/focus, Vauxhall Astra/Corsa, Peugeot 308 or Hyundai for their standard squad car.

The traffic cops will be able to choose from a list of high performance cars. These include an Audi A4/6 3.0 Tdi, Volvo V70 or a BMW 5 series diesel. Motorbikes, vans and even armored cars will be provided by BMW, Jaguar, Iveco, Honda and BMW.

The police force are the first to be effected by the latest budget cuts and these new forms of standardization is a good way to ensure forces are still equipped and saving money at the same time. Expect other emergency services to follow suit in the near future.

Audi have officially announced the rebirth of the S1, the name last seen on formidable rally car in the 1980’s and for intents and purposes the new car looks to just as venomous as its predecessor. The flagship S1 will combine awesome power, aggressive looks and of course use Quattro four wheel drive to deliver blistering and stable performance.

It was rumoured that Audi was going to brand the 1.4 T A1 with the famous S badge but quickly changed its mind when they realised 2 wheel drive simply didn’t deliver the legendary handling of Quattro. Audi has decided to create the new S1 at the same time as the VW Polo R to keep production costs to a minimum. It is rumoured that the Polo may even use a watered down version of four wheel drive although the S1 will be treated to the full Quattro experience including an optional sports differential.

Power is likely to come from a 1.8 or 2.0 litre turbo similar to that in a Golf GTi with a likely power output of 240bhp delivering the benchmark 0-60 in just less than six seconds.

Audi has decided to keep the look of the new S1 similar to the 1.4 TSi seen at the Paris motor show. The subtle differences will include a sporty front bumper similar to an S4, wider wheel arches to accommodate bigger alloy wheels, a black rear diffuser that bridges between twin exhausts and of course the famous S badge and branding.

The interior will be typically Audi in that it is high spec and well finished. The leather sports steering wheel has a flat bottom and both passenger and driver are treated to sports seats. Other sports features include carbon fibre trim and drilled pedals. At the moment exact details on the cars timeline are sketchy but more information will be released as a concept early next year with an expected release date in 2012.

German manufacturer Sonoro audio has teamed up with Mini to design a co-branded internet radio. Both brands are well known for their design skills and cutting edge tech and this radio is no exception. The Mini Rocks Sonoro is a limited edition radio with over 18,000 stations, basically there is a sound/station for everyone’s taste with the addition of four pre-set Mini sounds web radio channels.

Mini Sounds Design

The bespoke design of the Mini Rocks Sonoro will look good in any home with its dark wooden casing combined with the new Eclipse Grey paint from MINI, the neat thing is that the radio is complete with bonnet stripes.

We like the brushed aluminium control dial that is slightly reminiscent of a classic iPod, the display uses OLED technology which can be dimmed for easy use either day or night.

Multi-functional radio

The Mini Rocks sonoro can access over 18,000 radio channels over the internet via WiFi or wired Lan. The system uses an intuitive interface that allows users to select stations by genre or by country. There is also a built in media player that can access music from your pc or home server, there is also a line-in so you can connect other audio devices with a standard 3.5mm jack.

Other useful functions include an alarm clock (complete with snooze) a remote control and a rather nifty looking external iPod dock which allows users to access music and charge their device simultaneously.

The system uses a built in digital equalizer, which combines well with the 3-inch speakers to deliver a great range of sound.

The Mini Rocks sonoro isn’t cheap at £375 but when you consider it is a limited edition system we are sure it will be well sought after in the UK.

Ferrari has released pictures of the jaw dropping 599 SA Aperta. The upsetting thing about this car is that only 80 will ever be made and each and every one has already been purchased meaning the only way to get one would be second hand (in many years time).

This supercar has been produced to celebrate the design company Pininfarina’s 80^th year in designing cars. The initials SA are in honour of Pininfarina’s owners, Sergio and Andrea Pininfatina, as they have designed some of Ferrari’s most popular supercars of all time.

The word Aperta in Italian means open which is very fitting when you consider this car is made to be a drop top. Ferrari have supplied a soft top which they feel is a final resort “if the weather gets particularly bad”. When you consider the Aperta’s looks it’s not hard to understand why they want the top to be down as much as possible.

The Ferrari SA Aperta has a low rise windscreen and the addition of lowered suspension, the resulting combination gives the car a stunning eye catching look. Ferrari has maintained the A-Pillars of the hard topped 599 with the addition of roll bars that follow the lines of the seats so they are not to invasive, in fact they add to the design of the car.

The power is supplied by the same 6.0 litre V12 engine producing 661bhp found in the Ferrari 599 GTO, the result should be a similar experience to the hard topped car but as you know this is not always the case. To accommodate the loss of the roof and to maintain integrity the chassis has been modified and strengthened without the addition of too much weight.

The 599 SA Aperta will start at £340,000, this will more than likely be a starting point with owners wanting to customize or add to the car to make it absolutely unique. The result should be that no two cars of the 80 produced will be the same.

Here are some amazing pictures of the new Lotus Elite supercar which could single headedly reinvigorate the British manufacturer as they have designed the car to be a direct competitor to the Ferrari California when it goes on sale next year.

The Lotus Elite is set to debut at next weeks Paris motor show and is sure to make waves with its stunning looks and performance specifications. The new Elite is much like the model from the 50’s in that it has four seats, is powered by a front mounted engine and is rear wheel drive, However,  that is where the similarities end as the new Elite is powered by a 5.0 litre Toyota V8 which will either be supercharged or turbo charged.

The new car is equipped with a folding hard top roof and what Lotus is describing as a new face to their cars. The front of the car has a large grille with two slick looking LED headlights with air intakes below. The combination of this animal like front end, straight angular lines and interesting body panels produces a stunning look.

Another obvious advantage of the new car is that it is packed with the latest cutting edge technology. This includes a new twin clutch gearbox which is semi automatic, Formula 1 style KERS technology which increases the bhp by 50 via a cool boost button on the steering wheel.

The Toyota power plant has been totally re-engineered and is rumoured to produce 620 bhp. Lotus says that the Elite will hit the industry standard 0-60 in 3.5 seconds with a top speed a shade under 200 mph. The car will have formula 1 style steering wheel paddles and a central ‘human machine interface’ which allows the driver to control the cars functions.

All in all the new Elite looks amazing and seems to have a spec to match, we can’t wait to see the car up close at the Paris motor show.

The new conception of the Smart ForTwo has gone on sale with prices from £8780. The new car will benefit from upgraded equipment, new exterior features and even lower CO2 emissions. The exterior of the new ForTwo benefits from colour coded bumpers, mirrors and filler cap across the whole range – a first in a Smart car who were initially famed for having multicoloured body panels.

The Pulse and Xclusive models include new alloy wheels, with the Passion and Pulse models coming in a selection of vibrant colours including blue and green.

The interior has also had a bit of an overhaul with storage solutions being redesigned and reshaped. The glove box is different and the seats now include pockets on the side. The Passion and Pulse models offer a different steering wheel with the option of three styles of cloth to choose from.

The updated equipment includes USB and iPod connection on the Pulse Model, the Passion and Xclusive models also benefits from a built in sat-nav.

The new ForTwo uses the same engines as the previous model, however the units have been tweaked and modified to make them more fuel efficient, produce less CO2 and an increase in acceleration for the Xclusive models, and a full second has been shaved off the 0-60 time.

The 2010 smart Fortwo is now available to order from your local dealer.

We talked about the new Vauxhall Astra GTC, the next Astra VXR the other day and revealed that this will be showcased at the Paris motor show next month. Well it seems Ford are on a quest not to be outdone and are set to launch their range topping Focus ST with power and looks to rival their competitors – the hot hatch market is smoking.

The all new Focus ST looks even more striking than the previous model and packs more of a punch too with its 2.0 litre turbo charged engine producing a Golf GTi beating 247bhp. The front of the car features a large mesh grille, sides sills make the car look low and planted and the rear of the car features a roof spoiler, large rear bumper with twin exhausts.

The new ST is following a trend that quite frankly is a sign of the times. Ford has decided to downsize from a 2.5litre to a 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine. The tuning wizards at Ford have managed to increase the bhp by 25 over the previous ST whilst the smaller engine is much more fuel efficient, figures should come in at about 35 mpg on a combined cycle.

There are no official performance figures yet but when you consider it boasts 40bhp more than a Golf GTi it is bound to hit 0-60 in a little under 6 seconds with a top speed of 155mph upwards. Ford have incorporated a new traction control system with torque vectoring ensuring power is delivered to the road, it should eliminate torque steer and reduce wheel spin dramatically.

The all new Focus ST will only be available in a five door guise. However there are rumours that an estate/wagon will be available for the first time ever – a trend that is growing in the car industry. The interior looks equally sporty with dials adorning the dash, carbon fibre trims and brightly coloured sports seats all finished off in piano black detailing.
 
The ST will not be available until at least late 2011; the price is likely to be around £24,000 which is a little pricier than the former model.

What do you think of the all new Ford Focus ST? Will it be worth the money and what do you make of the colour scheme?

The all new Vauxhall Astra is set to strut its stuff in three door form at the Paris motor show next month, we talked about the new model last month. Now pictures of the three door Astra in VXR body kit are surfacing across the internet which with a little imagination show what the standard sports hatch will look like.

The pictures show the would be 2011-2012 Astra VXR with 21 inch wheels and twin exhaust pipes, if you remove these two features you more or less have the new three door Astra and I think you’ll agree that it’s quite a looker.

The all new three door Astra obviously has similar fluid lines to the five door and takes styling from it’s bigger brother, the Insignia. The overall look is very different from other cars in this class, it makes the Ford Focus look very plain indeed. Finishing touches that set it apart include LED tipped headlights, similar to that found on more expensive Audi’s.

The doors are styled in a almost swooping fashion, there is a dramatic crease that runs from the door handle all the way to the tail lights gradually getting wider to create a stunning look. It was hard to imagine this three-door would be able to topple its predecessor, the Astra Sports hatch but these pictures prove otherwise.

The GTC Paris (the name of this concept) has a lot of power under the hood, a 2.0 litre direct injection turbocharged engine is bolted to a six-speed gearbox – nothing too exciting there but if rumours are true this will produce a ludicrous 300 BHP making it a direct rival to the Ford Focus RS.

The viscous power of the new Astra VXR will have a Sri variant that will be a direct rival to the Golf GTi, no mean feat, but the 210 BHP produced by the 1.6 turbo has the same power so we will have to wait and see.

There are no pictures of the interior as yet, we will have to wait until the actual show for that. However eagle eyed readers will probably notice sporty bucket seats through the windows. The Astra VXR is set to hit UK shores late next year along with the three door hatch.

More details will follow from the show.