MINI Convertible Dresses Up for "I Kissed a Girl" singer, Kate Perry

You may not know her by her name, but we're pretty sure that you've heard Kate Perry's 2008 pop song, "I Kissed a Girl". So what has MINI got to do with Kate Perry, we hear you ask? Well, the British automaker decided to create a "Kate Perry" style Convertible for this year's Life Ball event, Europe's largest annual HIV/AIDS charity gathering. At last year's event, MINI came up with an erotic themed Clubman styled by lingerie firm, "Agent Provocateur". The Kate Perry-style Life Ball MINI Convertible 2009 is the work of "The Blonds", aka Puerto Rican Phillipe and US designer David Blond.

Aside from a design mock-up that shows a pink leopard-skinned MINI Convertible, we don't have any specific information on the car so we have no idea what it means to be styled for Kate Perry. Of course we could use our grimy imagination and the lyrics of her only well-known song to come up with an idea or two, but we'll behave - this time...

Volvo Recalling Thousands of S80, V70 and XC70 Vehicles

It's recall time for Volvo as the Swedish automaker has detected a faulty diagnostic software in the central electronic module (CEM) on the MY 2007-2008 S80, V70 and XC70 models. Volvo said that the software problem could cause the windshield wipers to not operate when activated or in certain cases they may be activated when not switched on. Overall, some 12,300 S80s, V70s and XC70s are affected from this recall. Beginning from May, Volvo dealers will inspect the CEM and if required, upgrade the software free of charge.

New Saab 9-3 Turbo Edition Models for UK Market

Doing what it knows best lately, Saab launched another special edition series, this time for the 9-3 range in the UK. And yes, the 'Turbo Edition' is nothing more than a new trim level that is available on both the sedan and SportWagon variants of the 9-3 with the 1.8-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and the three variants of the 1.9-liter diesel (120, 150 and 180HP).

The new 9-3 Turbo Edition models are equipped with standard 17-inch alloy wheels, leather interior, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, 9-speaker 150w audio system with MP3 compatibility and cruise control. Prices start from £19,995 for the Saloon and £21,071.60 for the SportWagon.

Engine	Price
	Saloon	SportWagon
1.8t	£19,995	£21,076.60
1.9TID (120PS)	£20,495	£21,571.60
1.9TID (150PS)	£20,995	£22,076.60
1.9TID (180PS)	£22,495	£23,576.60

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All-Electric Citroen C1 ev'ie Launched in Britain

A new, pure electric version of Citroen's C1 minicar has gone on sale in the U.K. Dubbed C1 ev'ie, the zero-emission four-seater is the work of Electric Car Corporation Plc. (EEC), a British firm that converts standard C1s into electric-powered vehicles. The only difference between Citroen's standard C1 and EEC's plug-in C1 ev'ie concerns the replacement of the combustion engine with a 30kw electric motor that is powered by a set of lithium-ion batteries positioned under the bonnet as well as in the place where the fuel tank used to be.

The C1 ev'ie can reach a top speed of 60mph (96km/h) and has a range between 60 and 75 miles (100 - 120km) on a full charge. According to EEC's claims, the C1 ev'ie can be fully charged in 6-7 hours from a domestic 13 amp socket at a cost of around 90p (about a US$1.20).

ECC said that it expects to produce around 500 C1 ev'ies over the next 12 months, rising to between 2,000 and 4,000 units in 2010, dependent upon "demand and government support".

Available in both three-door and five-door trims, the C1 ev'ie is priced at a steep £16,850 or about the equivalent of $25,000 U.S. That's more than double the price of the standard C1 with a 68HP 1.0-liter engine that returns an average of 62.8mpg UK (52.3mpg US or 4.5lt/100km) and has an OTR of £7,795 or with Citroen UK's existing offer, £6,395.