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

Alfa MiTo 1.3 JTDM-2 – paint job by Louise Dear

Alfa Romeo Art Car by Louise Childs Alfa Romeo are pushing quite a few PR buttons with the congestion charge busting Alfa MiTo 1.3 JTDM-2 85bhp, the latest of which is the ‘Art Car’ in the photo above. Recently, we had Alfa pitting the MiTo 1.3 JTDM-2 85bhp in a race around London against an athlete. On the face of it that race was to promote UK Athletics (sponsored by Alfa Romeo) but a big part, and the reason for the ‘London’ angle, is that the latest MiTo emits just 95g/km – the perfect London car.

One Lap of the Web: Mini challenges Porsche; kit cars; and brand loyalty

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. Mini wished the Porsche 911 a happy 50th anniversary.

Vauxhall Ampera Earth – entry-level Ampera launched

The Vauxhall Ampera Earth has been launched as an entry-level Ampera with a lower spec. Costs £34,995 before Government grant. The Vauxhall Ampera car – Vauxhall’s take on the range extender Chevy Volt – is a clever and appealing car if it wasn’t for the silly price.