Car and Van News

Aston Martin celebrated its 100th birthday on Sunday and marked the day by unveiling a radical concept car.

The CC100 Speedster Concept is described as very much a one-off, harking back to the earliest Astons but also boasting hints to the brand’s future design direction.

A slight glimmer of hope has emerged in Europe’s depressed car market after sales in Germany rose slightly in April.

The figures, up by 3.8 per cent according to the country’s transport authority, reversed a steep slump of 17 per cent in March.

Audi has unveiled a concept version of its TT coupe that tips the scales some 300kg lighter than the stock model.

Dubbed the TT ultra quattro concept, the car has been developed for next month‘s annual gathering of Audi enthusiasts in Wörthersee, Germany.

Volkswagen’s CrossBlue Coupé, unveiled this week at the Shanghai Auto Show, is another concept that won’t see a production line.

But it does preview a likely new production model, as VW looks to widen the market for its SUV range.

Nissan has brought its new commercial vehicles, the eNV200 electric van and the NV200 taxi, to the CV Show in Birmingham.

Building on the success of Nissan’s LEAF electric car now manufactured in Sunderland, the eNV200 is the first pure electric van the brand has put into production.

Audi will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its performance sub-division by launching four new RS models this year.

The division, quattro GmbH, is also promising to produce more sporting versions of Audi cars more quickly.

BMW’s MINI Oxford plant has celebrated its centenary today (Thursday) and been given a big vote of confidence.

The plant “holds a special place in the hearts of millions” and will remain at the centre of MINI production in the future, according to its managing director Frank Bachmann.