1973 Pontiac Ventura Ii/firebird/le Mans 250/100hp Car Sun Electronic Spec Sheet on 2040-parts.com

Storms batter Britain

THE MET OFFICE has issued a "red" weather warning for exceptionally strong winds in western parts of Wales and north-western parts of England, while the Thames is predicted to rise to its highest level in more than 60 years in some places. On the day dubbed Wild Wednesday, gusts of 108mph hit Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula in north west Wales, while 96mph winds were recorded off the south coast of England at the Needles, on the Isle of Wight. The Met Office has forecast 2.75ins (70mm) of rain by Friday in the already-sodden West Country - more than the region would normally get in the whole of February - with south Wales, western Scotland, Northern Ireland and other parts of southern England also expected to bear the brunt of the deluge.

Maserati Kubang

Maserati today unveiled its new Kubang sport luxury SUV, the Italian brands's first foray into the segment. The Kubang, making its debut at the Frankfurt motor show, is said to be the forerunner of the future Maserati range. Previously revealed in concept form at the 2003 Detroit motor show, Maserati claims the production version of the Kubang maintains the main features of its concept precursor, such as the style, engine, suspensions, brakes, handling and performance. The manufacturer has for years been producing sedans, coupes and two or four-seater convertibles, but the Kubang is the first of its kind to be created by Maserati.

UK car owners 'buy with their heart, not their head'

CAR BUYERS in the UK are an emotional lot and more let their heart decide which car they will buy rather than their head. Even drivers who think they make a decision using their head are often found to let more emotive considerations sway their final choice. In the Hiscox Head versus Heart study, common sense factors such as fuel economy, value for money and reliability are often over-ruled by heartfelt matters including comfort, speed and design.