On a Mercedes W123 diesel, a vacuum leak can prevent the engine from switching off. The central locking uses the same vacuum supply, so a leaking door-lock circuit can affect engine shutdown. It is on
Some electric cars want to conquer the highway. The new Moke Mk2 would rather take you along the coast with the sea breeze in your hair. Unveiled at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, this updated electric ru
What was the Renault Safrane Biturbo? It was a high-performance version of Renault’s luxury flagship, developed with Hartge and Irmscher. A twin-turbo V6 drove all four wheels, while the body re
What did Volvo’s PremAir radiator do? Its catalytic coating converted some ground-level ozone in the air passing through the radiator into oxygen. Volvo reported conversion of up to 75% in tests
Why did Volkswagen make Harlequin cars? The multicoloured Polo began as a promotional demonstration of Volkswagen’s modular ordering system. Customers wanted the display cars, prompting the Polo
Not everyone wants an electric SUV that takes up half the driveway. That’s where Audi’s new A2 e-Tron comes in. Shown at the Paris Motor Show, it brings back the A2 name with an electric
What was the Mercedes braking bag? It was an experimental underbody airbag shown as part of the ESF 2009 safety programme. When sensors judged a collision unavoidable, the device would deploy a high-f
Does Nissan’s self-healing paint actually work? Scratch Shield can help fine scratches in its clearcoat recover over time. Nissan says recovery depends on temperature and scratch depth, sometime
How did a Mercedes taxi reach 4.6 million kilometres? Gregorios Sachinidis kept his 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240 D working in Thessaloniki for decades. Its recorded distance came with substantial mechanical
Open the boot of most small cars from the 1960s and you would expect shopping, a spare wheel or perhaps a toolbox. In a Citroën 2CV Sahara, the engine would be taking up much of that space. The o