08 09 10 11 12 Avenger Wheel 16x4 Spare 705040 on 2040-parts.com

Land Rover confirms end of Defender production

It's been all but a foregone conclusion for some time now, but Land Rover has confirmed to our sister publication Automotive News Europe that the aging Defender won't live to see 2020. Originally conceived as an agricultural machine, the first Land Rover prototype used scavenged Willys Jeep bits left over from World War II. American kids of a certain age may have been captivated by the Land Rover's mystique while watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom back in the '70s.

Cost of fuel has increased 50% in seven years

THE PRICE of fuel in the UK has increased by over 50% in just over seven years, according to a recent investigation. A study conducted on behalf of Asda Money indicates that the cost of fuel in the UK has risen from around 90p per litre at the start of 2006 to the current average of around £1.38. The Autumn Statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer cancelled the proposed rise in fuel duty that was due to come into force on the first of January 2013, and which had already been postponed once, but UK motorists are still paying out at the pumps.

Toyota Prius Recall: 30,790 cars in the UK, 1.9 million worldwide recalled

The 3rd generation Toyota Prius (pictured) is being recalled Toyota’s hasn’t had a lot of luck with recalls in the last few years, although the latest recall for the Toyota Prius isn’t quite on the scale we’ve seen for previous recalls. It’s only eight months since the last Toyota Prius recall – which affected around 5,000 Prius models in the UK from 2009 – but this latest recall is a lot more extensive, affecting third generation Prius built from March 2009 to February 2014 and totalling 30,790 cars in the UK and 1.9 million worldwide. The issue is a problem with the hybrid system’s boost converter software, which is used when the car is under heavy load such as accelerating hard from a standstill.