BMW 1-Series gets 4WD xDrive

BMW has announced that the 1-Series will be offered with xDrive 4WD on the 120d and M135i. But the UK won’t get the M135i xDrive. The last few winters in the UK, with heavy snow falls and lots of slip-sliding, has focused drivers’ minds on the benefits of 4WD, so the announcement by BMW that they’re going to offer xDrive on the 1-Series will be welcome news.

Ford adds 2.0-liter four to crate-engine lineup

Enthusiasts who think that the 2.0-liter engine from the 2012 Ford Focus would be a fine fit for their car projects will be able to buy one from Ford Racing's crate-engine program. Ford is also adding a pair of pushrod V8s to the crate-engine lineup for 2012. The 2.0-liter is the first in a family of crate engines based on Ford's global four-cylinder engine.

New Renault Megane Estate – a Sport Tourer

Details on the Renault Megane Estate released We think this might be a bit of a Marmite’ car – love it or hate bit. To our eyes it looks pretty stylish, following the current style for swoopy estates (or Sport Tourers) in the mould of cars like Vauxhall’s new Insignia Sports Tourer. The Megane Estate comes in a bewildering array of models and engine sizes, with a total of fourteen engines on offer.