"Carry-on" engine will power Le Mans racer

NISSAN will this year compete in the famous Le Mans 24-hour race using a revolutionary 1.5-litre, 400bhp engine that’s small enough to qualify as carry-on luggage. The astonishing new technology produces more power per kilogram of engine weight than the 2014 Formula 1 engines, and what’s more it’s set to lead to road car technology. And while the engine block is too heavy to take onto a plane as hand luggage, its 50cm height, 40cm length and 20cm width makes it small enough.

Peel P50 and Trident back in production – the world’s smallest car

Peel P50 and Peel Trident - backed by James Caan The Peel P50 and Trident – the Isle of Man’s contribution to the car world – are now back in production with an electric motor. Top Gear fans will probably remember Jeremy Clarkson taking the Peel P50 – billed as the world’s smallest car ever – for a trolley round London and the BBC (we’ve published the video below to remind you). Now, with the world obsessed with small cars, a bunch of businessmen – backed by former Dragons’ Den Dragon James Caan – are putting the Peel P50 and Trident back in to production.

Seat Leon Cup Racer revealed

Volkswagen’s Spanish daughter company, Seat, has unveiled the new Leon Cup race car. Set to get a public airing at this week’s Woethersee fan meet in Austria, the new front-wheel drive hatchback runs a heavily tuned version of parent company Audi’s EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine developing about 325 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. In standard guise, drive is channeled through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.