News In Brief

Italians are out of this world with lightweight V12-engined Vulca

Think Ferraris are too common? Then look at this – the Vulca V12. It’s the latest creation from Italian coachbuilder Faralli and Mantazzi, and only 10 are planned to be built. Beneath the aluminium body is a choice of three V12 engines with power outputs from 445bhp to 600bhp. Prices start at £220,000 for the ‘entry-level’ model.

New motor cleans up act for Leon

SEAT has added the VW Group’s turbocharged 1.4 TSI petrol powerplant to the Leon range. Available in Reference Sport and Stylance models, the engine produces less CO2 than the 1.6-litre FSI unit it replaces. Prices start from £13,755.

Pipes up power on Audi supercar

Here’s a way to make your Audi R8 sound great! German tuner Edo Competition has released an exhaust system that liberates an extra 22bhp from the 4.2-litre V8, shaves 8kg off the car’s weight and creates a louder note. Visit www.edo-competition.de for info.

Full steam ahead for British makers

The UK car industry is alive and kicking, according to the latest statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. February saw the best monthly production figures since 2002, with more than 166,000 vehicles being built – 74 per cent of which were exported.

Want to be a Brit show star?

Fancy exhibiting your own car at July’s British Motor Show? Well, the organisers are going to let one driver do just that. All you have to do to get your vehicle on the stands at ExCeL is E-mail a photo of it to mycaristhestar@britishmotor show.co.uk with 150 words on ‘what your car means to you’ and why it should be picked. Maybe you bought it from someone famous, had a special modification or even delivered a baby on the back seat! Selected photos will be displayed at the London event. For more details, log on to the britishmotorshow.co.uk site.

Drivers counting cost of fuel theft

Soaring fuel costs are being blamed for the latest crime wave to hit the UK – thieves are drilling holes in motorists’ tanks and draining them of fuel.

Police say that record petrol and diesel prices mean a family car that’s brimmed can be carrying as much as £80 worth of fuel!

But the spate of incidents in the Oxfordshire area has also left targeted owners with repair costs of around £400 to replace the plastic fuel tanks. Around 20 cars were hit in Oxford last month alone, and a police spokesman warned the number of incidents is already twice that recorded for the whole of 2007. He said owners should ensure their vehicle is parked in a well lit area and, if possible, with the fuel tank facing away from the street.

Fiat in Grande design contest

Here’s a golden opportunity to become a car designer overnight! Fiat has launched a new website where fans can create their own customised artwork for the Grande Punto’s exterior. What’s more, six winners will receive a gold bar each worth £4,000!

Called the Grande Punto Sticker Lab, the project is split into two sections. The first allows you to design your own virtual sticker and post it online, while the other invites users to send Fiat an idea – be it a sketch, a concept or whatever you can dream up. Log on to www.stickerlab.fiatpunto.it and get those creative juices flowing.