This one is just about certain to amaze you because it exists for virtually no clear reason.  See, I was reading about the Porsche Cayenne, and of course, since it’s a Porsche it’s awesome.  But what they wanted to include as an option, for the low price of twenty one hundred bucks, just blew my mind.

What does twenty one hundred bucks get you when you’re a Porsche owner?  Brace yourselves–it gets your heater vents trimmed in LEATHER.

No, seriously.  They actually think you’re dumb enough to pay the price of an entire used car (if you shop carefully) for leather trim around the heater vents.  Will you even notice after the leather has been put on?  Probably not.  It’s not like it’ll improve the heater’s capabilities or anything like that.

No, all it’ll do is blow twenty one hundred dollars of your hard earned money on one of the dumbest car gadgets I’ve ever heard of.

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Rolls Royce "Visualizer" Website

While the Rolls Royce production model of the Ghost isn’t expected to debut until the Frankfurt show this coming September, the company has already launched an online configurator on its website to let potential customers and inquisitive enthusiasts alike dabble with the various color and trim options that are likely to appear on the production version.

Dubbed the “visualizer”, the website allows you to select from a range of exterior paint colors, interior leather trims, dashboard wood veneers and even the brushed aluminum front bonnet trim. Although not nearly as glamorous as driving around town in an actual Rolls-Royce of your own, it may help you to visualize it.

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The iconic car from Fiat has revealed the prices for its eagerly awaited convertible version 500 city car, some 15 months after the widely acclaimed supermini’s UK launch. Starting at just £11,300 OTR, the new Fiat 500 C, which goes on sale here in the summer, represents notable value for lovers of soft-top motoring, and positions the new car comfortably below its benchmark rivals.

Topping the top-down range, a highly specified Lounge version with a larger engine costs £14,100 – an OTR price that includes automatic climate control, rear parking sensors and alloy wheels as standard equipment.

Pop and Lounge versions of the new Fiat 500 C will be available at launch. An electrically operated hood, air conditioning, remote central locking, radio/CD/MP3 player, seven airbags and electric door mirrors are standard on all cars, while climate control, ESP stability control, foglights and rear parking sensors are among the principal features incorporated in Lounge models.

Available in 11 colors – including the newly-created Tech House Grey and RaggaMuffin Red – the Fiat 500 C comes with red, ivory or black roof colors. Pop interiors can be specified in either ivory or black finish with red or grey cloth seat colors. Lounge specification offers an ivory or black interior with black or brown cloth seats. Frau Leather is also available as an option.

The new Fiat 500 C is powered by the same frugal, ultra-low emissions and Euro 5 range of engines as are already available in the Fiat 500, including 69 bhp 1.2-litre and 100 bhp 1.4-litre petrol units, and the 75 bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet turbodiesel.

Full price list for the Fiat 500 C range is as follows:

• 1.2 Pop £11,300
• 1.4 Pop £12,500
• 1.3 Mjet Pop £12,700
• 1.2 Lounge £12,700
• 1.4 Lounge £13,900
• 1.3 Mjet Lounge £14,100

(Source) Carpages

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Make way for the next big thing in British-made sports cars. Things feel different behind the wheel of the £75,000 Trident Iceni. Surrounded by two-tone leather and a sculpted dash, you could be fooled into thinking TVR is back from the ashes. It feels like a properly put together car. But that is not the most remarkable thing about this British sports car. That honour belongs to the fact that despite its supercar looks and performance it actually sips less fuel than a Smart ForTwo.

The reason for its frugality – the makers claim it will achieve around 70mpg – is that almost uniquely in its class, it is powered by a diesel engine. Beneath the bonnet is a 6.6-litre, turbocharged direct injection ‘Duramax’ motor designed by Isuzu and built by GM. It’s identical to those that normally power bloated American SUVs, like the Chevrolet Silverado. The Iceni by contrast weighs a mere 1200kg, and has been tested up to 216mph, although Trident say they intend to govern it to 175mph.

This machine represents something that’s curiously absent from sports car design: a fresh approach. For all the talk of innovation, you could argue the big brand names have been accelerating in the wrong direction making faster and faster cars with more electronic driver aids but without giving a thought to the future of low emissions, high performance motoring. If nothing else, this British car redresses the balance.

(Source) Times Online

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