Disney and Pixar to Bring Cars 2 Characters to Life at Goodwood Festival

Continuing the assault of promotional material for the second installment of the Cars animated movie franchise, Disney and its Pixar unit announced today that two characters from the film will jump into life at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, which will be held at the Goodwood House from 30 June until 3 July. Read more »

Fiat Rumored to Bring Bravo Successor to the U.S. Market

The launch of the Fiat 500 in the U.S. market has whetted the Italian company’s appetite, as according to reports, Fiat is now considering the addition of a second model to its North-American range, the successor to the Bravo. As we wrote last month, the next-generation Bravo will take the shape of a small crossover with Fiat looking to emulate the success of Nissan's Qashqai.

The 500's early sales figures have exceeded the firm’s expectations despite initial concerns about relaunching the Fiat brand in the U.S. with such a small car. The partially open-top 500C was added to the range recently, with more powerful Abarth versions to follow in the very near future.

Read more »

Toyota Recalling 106,000 Prius Hybrids Globally Over Steering Wheel Issue

The newest Toyota recall affects approximately 106,000 Prius hybrids globally built from 2001 to 2003 for a fault with the electric power steering system. The Japanese automaker said the voluntary action affects around 52,000 Prius models sold in the United States.

“If the steering wheel is repeatedly and strongly turned to the full-lock position, there is a possibility the nuts securing the pinion shaft in the steering gear box assembly may become loose,” Toyota said in a statement. The company added that if the owner leaves the condition uncorrected, over time they will gradually notice significant increased steering effort when making a left turn.

Read more »

All-New Hyundai i40 Tourer Priced from £18,395 OTR in the UK

Hyundai has priced its entry into the medium family estate car market, the new i40 Tourer, announcing that it will take from £18,395 (equal to US$30,340 or €21,100) for UK buyers to park one under their house. In comparison, the Ford Mondeo Estate starts from £18,955 for the 1.6i 120HP model, while the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer from £19,350 with the 1.8-liter engine.

The estate version of the i40 will arrive in British showrooms this September followed shortly after by the sedan model, which was unveiled at the Barcelona International Motor Show in May.

Read more »

STaSIS Engineering Gives the Audi S5 Cabriolet a Power Boost

North American aftermarket specialist STaSIS Engineering has released a new performance package for the Audi S5 Cabriolet in the UK. The STaSIS Engineering S5 Cabriolet Challenge Edition features an upgrade kit that includes an engine tune, Ohlins performance suspension, monobloc brake calipers and a limited-slip differential. Read more »