News briefs

Oh, the shame! The Subaru Impreza WRX Sport Wagon has won two categories in The Caravan Club’s Towcar of the Year 2007 awards. Let’s hope we never catch any evo readers towing caravans with their Imprezas…

HONDA continues to deliberate what form a replacement for the NSX should take. Several different proposals, including two-seater sports cars and four-seater GTs, are under consideration. If the company continues its F1 success in 2007, expect to see one of these proposals surface in time for the Tokyo show next autumn.

FERRARI has finally buckled and allowed its cars to appear on the PlayStation. Digital facsimiles of the F430 and 599 GTB Fiorano will scream around your screen in the forthcoming Gran Turismo HD for the PlayStation 3.

TOYOTA has launched a 1.8-litre 130bhp version of the Yaris called the TS. It goes on sale in the UK in February and will be available with three or five doors. Could Toyota have at last made a proper hot hatch?

THE P1 Club has opened its second branch. P1 North, based in Middlewich, Cheshire, has a £1m fleet of cars including the Ford GT and Aston Vanquish S. Membership isn’t for the meek of wallet, but the club is still restricting numbers to 250 so that you shouldn’t have to wait too long for your car of choice. Visit www.p1international.com for more details.

A NEW Hyundai Coupe must be coming as big chunks of cash are falling off the price of current models. Best deal of the range is the £2000 you can save on the 2.7 V6, prices of which now start from £17,190.

MTM, the German tuner responsible for the mad twin-engined previous-generation Audi TT has set to work on the new model. Its conversions on the 2-litre TFSI turbo engine produce claimed 241bhp, 247bhp, 268bhp and 310bhp outputs; MTM is also beavering away at a supercharger conversion for the V6, said to generate 340bhp.

WISH someone could source that hard-to-get supercar for you, then arrange an appropriate driving holiday for you to enjoy it on? ‘Fix it’ company Flag in the Sand reckons that with its global contacts it can make all manner of automotive dreams come true. To put them to the test, call Patrick Keane on 01923 267222.

CATERHAM has announced prices for its Ford Sigma-powered Sevens. The 125bhp Roadsport costs £15,995 as a kit, the 140bhp Roadsport is £16,995 and the Superlight derivative £19,995 – factory-built examples of all three will set you back an extra £2500. An even more powerful model is due to be launched next summer.

THE ARIEL Atom is now for sale in the US, but only as a trackday car – a lack of niceties such as airbags and doorlocks, which are mandatory in the States, means it can’t be homologated for road use. Prices start at $38,790 (c£20,900) but most buyers apparently splash out $50,000 (c£26,950) on optioned-up Atoms. The US Atom is built in Oregon and uses a supercharged version of GM’s 2-litre Ecotec engine.