Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Are used car prices about to spiral down?

CAP – the used car price specialists – are warning that used car prices, particularly ’almost’ new car prices, are set to tumble as nearly new cars hit the market. The car market in the UK has proved amazingly resilient to the general malaise in the economy, with new car sales continuing to rise strongly and used cars seemingly immune to big depreciation drops. But CAP – who gauge used car prices for the motor trade – are warning that this could be about to change as the impact of recent trading in new cars is about to start impacting on used car prices, particularly prices for cars less than a year old.

Honda Vezel crossover arrives at the Tokyo motor show

For the record, Vezel rhymes with "bezel," and it's the name of Honda's long suspected Fit-based crossover. Honda showed off the new Vezel hybrid model at the Tokyo motor show, though the production model set to launch in Japan in December will also be available with a straight-gasoline 1.5-liter direct-injected engine also. Other details are still slim, but the company did claim a "Sport Hybrid i-DCD" powertrain will get a stronger engine and most likely a dual-clutch transmission with integrated electric motor.

America trialling solar-powered roads

Solar Roadways After glow-in-the-dark road markings proved to be a bit of a flop when the paint washed away in the rain, experts are now experimenting with solar-powered motorways. A small, family-owned American company based in Idaho called Solar Roadways has created a short section of road that uses the sun’s energy to power nearby buildings, as well as electric cars. If the solar-powered roads are adopted worldwide, it could put an end to the range-anxiety commonly associated with electric vehicles.