Battery Minder 1500 on 2040-parts.com

Lotus CEO Dany Bahar on the crisis at Lotus Cars

Lotus chief executive Dany Bahar has laid bare the business position at Lotus Cars since the takeover of parent company Proton by Malaysia's DRB-Hicom. Norfolk's sports car maker has been buffeted by rumours of financial crisis and looming collapse since development was frozen by the new owners (click here for our coverage of the crisis at Lotus. CAR scored an interview with Bahar at the Hethel headquarters yesterday afternoon. He was abroad at the time of last week's media maelstrom, when rumours and slurs flew around about the state of Lotus's finances.

Volkswagen to buy Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign?

The Morris Ital - one of Morris Ital by Giorgetto Giugiaro's greatest (sort of) It’s probably a fair bet – or at least was and has been for some time – that Volkswagen would be in the frame to buy an motoring asset that comes on the market. Especially if that asset is in trouble and an iconic name can be grabbed for a song – or less. Which explains why the names of VW and Giugiaro’s Italdesign are being linked together as the Italian designer appears to seek a car maker to rescue it from the woes of being an independent in these rather troubled times.

UK Budget 2011: the outcome for motorists

UK chancellor George Osborne announced the 2011 budget today - which includes fuel duty cuts and changes to car tax that will affect every motorist in the land. 2011 Budget changes to fuel duty The Government will cut 1p in fuel duty, effective from 6.00pm tonight. Osborne said the fuel tax cut was designed to offset rising fuel prices, which have burdened every driver with higher bills. And the current inflation-linked 'fuel price escalator', established by the previous Government, has been abolished. Further fuel duty rises in line with inflation have been deferred until 1 January 2012. The planned 1 April 2012 fuel duty rise will be deferred to 1 August 2012.