2004 Yamaha Raptor 660 Steering Stem Pitman Arm on 2040-parts.com

Design Essay: BMW i – Setting the industry agenda for the next decade

Many have already dismissed BMW i as a radical experiment too far ahead of its time, but looking beyond the glossy carbon fiber facade reveals three ways it will change the automotive landscape during the next decade: 1. Re-define the EV category Despite Tesla, Nissan, GM, Renault and Toyota all operating in the EV space, global sales in 2012 totaled just 54,000. Many put this down to high-cost and range anxiety, but another key factor is nearly always overlooked.

Phone use penalty 'could double'

THE PENALTY for using a mobile phone while driving could be doubled under proposals being examined by the Government as part of a safety drive, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has called for offenders to be handed six points on their licence rather than the present three, meaning a ban from getting behind the wheel if caught twice in three years. Mr McLoughlin said it was an "interesting suggestion" that he was considering in an effort to end the "appalling" number of people killed and seriously injured in accidents where a phone was being used in the hand.

Volkswagen Polo R WRC (2013) hot hatch pictures and specs

This is the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, a rally car-inspired hot hatch that shoehorns Golf GTI power into a Polo bodyshell. Deliveries of the strictly limited 2500-unit production run will commence in September 2013, but the bad news is that invitation doesn't extend to mainstream UK buyers. That said, VW hints that it could bring in a handful to the UK if there's enough demand.