Over at the official website, there is a new car from Ford Motors for our enjoyment.

"Think you know everything about hybrids? Think again. Meet the Ford Escape Hybrid, the first vehicle that combines all the machine you've come to expect from an SUV with all the green that you've come to expect from a hybrid. Tech-savvy and roomy, this hybrid offers the best of both worlds without needing to compromise power or eco-impact. Relax in the driver's seat of the future and let your Sims Escape the ordinary."

There are full instructions on what you need. You download this and any of the other Fords from here!

The old parish church of St. Margaret of Newton used to dominate the centre of the old village and was a major social hub in years gone by. It also was a major landmark and is still visible from the surrounding farmland and countryside.

There is a fully furnished 4-bedroom rectory with a minivan and pickup truck in the drivewayfor the household to help with their work or that of the parish. Also, the steepled church could again become a major social centre for the community or turned into another profitable business venture.

For just under §200,000, this could be what your community needs.

If your neighborhoods could do with a row of shops featuring a boutique, beauty salon and flower shop, or an industrial unit last used for robot manufacture, Gladstone Row or Disraeli Robotics may be what you are looking for.

Converted from an old factory, this disctinctive looking club has been defined as "the place to be" due to it having a famed patron. Offering something for most tastes, you cannot go wrong from a visit to the Jade.

To add it to your neighborhood, click here or if you want more community lots from our creators click here!

Following on from Ford, Fiat and H&M Fashions using The Sims 2 as an advertising platform to promote their realworld products, it is now the turn of IKEA®.

"Whether you want to create a trendy, spacious office, a chic living room, or a cozy and inviting bedroom, you can make your Sims' dream house into something even better-a home. Design your Sims' rooms to fit their personalities with all-new sofas, beds, tables, TV units, shelving, and more, in a variety of colors and patterns for a truly unique look. Add the finishing touches with popular IKEA® wall art, mirrors, lighting, and vases. Be your Sims' personal interior designer with inspiring, contemporary styles from IKEA®."

Scheduled for release on June 24th and probably intended to whet our appetites for new official items until Apartment Life comes out about three months later, at this time The Sims 2 IKEA® Homestuff can be preordered for delivery or direct download from the official site with an unlockable Strind Side Table as a special bonus item.

For more screenshots and details, check out the official information right here!

Posted by MaxoidShannon on the official exchange, here is the first screenshot of Apartment Life (AL), which is the next expansion pack for TS2 coming in September.

Make sure you click on the thumbnail to see the bigger picture as there is more to see than just new furniture and décor and yes, I am impressed.

You can find the whole thread here!

Once we get more pics and more news, you'll be the first to know.

Have your sims got about §75K to spare for a furnished 3-bedroomed house? Then this place might be for them.

The realtors are not sure what happened to the previous residents who left suddenly, taking their car but leaving the plasma TV and all other furnishings and fixtures.

Also, for your own decorating, there is the Natural Collection, which is six new stucco wall coverings in natural shades and at economy prices.

Click on the pics to go to the download page or click here if you're interested in seeing more.

As the next step in the renaissance here at "the Zone", we are proud to present two submissions from our viewers.

Josh Adams, who has been a fan of Sim Brother here from the beginning when it was done with "The Sims", has faithfully rendered the original series house into one for "The Sims 2". As I am the person who originally designed the house, I must say how impressed I am with Josh's work and how faithful it was to my design.

Melina has recently begun playing "The Sims 2" and after falling in love with a house in London that she saw on the British TV show "Grand Designs", she has created her own version of it right here. With a generally modern design, it has numerous features and has a lot of potential.

Thankyou to both of you for your creations. Clicking on the appropriate picture will direct you to its download page.

I have uploaded a selection of tiled walls, floors and matching carpets in a variety of colors. Happy decorating!

Click here if you'd like to see these sets and also more of my creations. Enjoy!

Opening up the newest SP by Maxis, we look deeper into the Kitchen & Bath Interior Design stuff pack. Lets look at what new decorating touches can be added to your Sims homes.

Check the editorial out!