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

Dacia won’t build a car smaller than the Sandero

The Dacia Sandero (pictured) will remain Dacia’s smallest model In austere times, budget buys sell. Which is why Dacia is having so much success with its compact Sandero and Duster SUV. With prices on the Sandero starting at just £5,995 and Duster SUV prices as little as £8,995 (although you’ll have to pay £10,995 for a 4WD version), car buyers are buying Dacias as quickly as Renault can build them, with sales in a European market that shrank by 7 per cent last year up by 18 per cent to 90,000 cars for Dacia.

Designer Paul Smith launches exhibition

DESIGN GURU Sir Paul Smith has given a glimpse into his world with a re-creation of his office forming part of a new exhibition dedicated to his work. The fashion star takes centre-stage at the Design Museum in London for the next four months with items from his vast archive on display. Sir Paul was at the launch today, posing alongside colourful life-size cardboard cut-outs and showing off sketches, designs and other paraphernalia from his lengthy career as one of Britain's best-known creative forces.

Mercedes E class Cabriolet (2010) – Air Cap

The 2010 Mercedes E Class Cabrio with AirCap deployed The next generation Mercedes E Class Cabriolet is due to turn up at next month’s Detroit Motor Show and go on sale in the Spring in the UK – just in time for some open-topped motoring as the sky clears and the sun starts to shine (or it pours with rain – global warming, don’t you know). Which is all fine and dandy if you’re just cruising round town at low speeds and you’ve got hats on, otherwise the expensive coiffures of your passengers may well get wrecked by the buffeting once the roof is down as you blat along, leaving them looking as if they’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards. But not any more.