Topgear News

Diesel may be the choice of fuel for the long distance driver, but when it comes to superminis, overall running costs and refinement are key considerations.

Small diesels have always been seen as noisy and - with short service intervals - potentially expensive to keep on the road. But, with one of the most advanced small oil-burners in the world wrapped up in a practical bodyshell, does Toyota’s new Yaris D-4D offer a convincing alternative to petrol models?

The all-aluminium 1.4-litre derv sipper produces 89bhp, and accelerates from 0-62mph in 10.7 seconds. It delivers a top speed of 109mph and feels relatively happy when cruising at the limit on motorways.

He’s big, quick and doesn’t need a tea break. Meet MOTOMAN, a robot that could soon be in charge of new car assembly, according to maker Yasukawa Electric Corporation of Japan.

Debuting at the recent International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo, the £46,000 robot demonstrated its effectiveness on a production line. The droid features two multi-functioning arms and a pivoting upper body for a variety of tasks - but the cute head with big eyes won’t make production. As MOTOMAN is bolted to the floor, it doesn’t need to see where it’s going!

(this article was taken from autoexpress.co.uk)

Is Porsche’s brand new Cayman really as good as its big brother, the 911? Or is it little more than a Boxster with a roof?

Ever since the wraps were taken off the Cayman at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, driving enthusiasts in Britain have been eagerly awaiting its arrival on our roads.

Yet now it is here, we can’t help feeling that the car looks a little disappointing in the metal. At first glance, it’s easy to mistake the new coupé for little more than a Boxster fitted with the optional hard-top, as the headlights and front wheelarches appear identical to the roadster’s. The same is true inside; the Cayman’s dashboard design is virtually identical to that found in the convertible, with only the instrument binnacle marking it out as different.

Low-volume British sports cars have plastic bodywork and lacklustre engines borrowed from a mainstream manufacturer, right? Not according to Connaught. The firm, based in Daventry, Northants, has taken the wraps off the Type-D GT Syracuse - and the newcomer’s supercharged 2.0-litre V10 engine and aluminium panels mark it out as a star in the making.

The 300bhp limited edition heralds the return of the Connaught name to UK roads. In the metal, the plucky Brit looks more impressive than pretty. Big headlights and numerous vents give it a brutish appearance, while bulging rear flanks and flared wheel-arches guarantee an aggressive stance.

It’s a rare thing for us to read an article that actually makes us relieved that we don’t own a supercar, so we thought we’d share this one from MotorTorque with you all:

A Jeep Grand Cherokee that won’t go off-road sounds about as likely as one which is capable of outrunning a Porsche. But that’s what the legendary American firm is promising to launch next year.

The sensational new Grand Cherokee SRT-8 not only has limited ability in the rough stuff, but is staking a claim to be the fastest 4×4 in the world.

At £40,000, the 6.1-litre V8 costs around half as much as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo. It might sound like an unusual creation for an American maker renowned for its models’ all-terrain ability, rather than their outrageous speed, but on paper the SRT-8 is quicker from 0-60mph than the flagship Cayenne.

On 14-15 January 2006, the NEC in Birmingham will become the capital of motor racing, with exhibits from all disciplines of the sport on display under one roof.

So if you love the technical sophistication of Formula One, durability of Rally Cars, heritage of Historic racers, agility of Karts or are just one of those people who like the sound of high-powered supercar engines and smell of burning rubber, make sure that you mark these dates in your calendar.

In the meantime, please take your time to explore the website, and find out more about what attractions will be waiting for you at Autosport International 2006.