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

Lotus's new 2010 Elise dips below 150g/km of CO2

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 09 April 2010 07:53 The new facelifted 2011 model year Lotus Elise has cut its CO2 output by nearly a fifth to a saintly 149g/km.It's a 16% improvement over the outgoing Lotus Elise S and Hethel claims 'the Elise has the lowest CO2 for its performance level for any gasoline sports car in the world.' Lotus is getting combative with the new Elise, pointing out that the Elise weighs just 876kg – while the Porsche Boxster sends the scales spinning to 1334kg.So how come the new Lotus Elise is so clean?The aerodynamics are 4% smoother, according to Lotus, while a smaller Toyota 1.6-litre VVT-i engine is downsized by 200cc compared with the outgoing 1.8, yet produces the same power.The new 2011 model year (but on sale now in 2010) shows the benefits of lightweight: it'll hit 60mph in 6.0sec.

Arizona auctions: Early days filled with optimism

The sun kept shining--both as a metaphor and in reality--while the cars were selling at the Arizona auctions. As of late Thursday, Barrett-Jackson had completed three of its six days of sales. Preliminary numbers assembled by on-site reporters indicate total sales of $20.2 million at the halfway mark, with 100 percent of the 656 cars on offer sold.

Opel Ampera: the full, official technical story

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 25 March 2009 10:05 Opel/Vauxhall predict that the new Ampera production car will sell more in Britain than anywhere else in Europe. The extended range electric vehicle, unveiled at the recent 2009 Geneva motor show, will go on sale here in late 2011 and marketing bosses say the UK is more accepting of hybrids and alternative vehicles than other markets. It’s not clear at this stage how much the Ampera will cost in the UK, but we’re looking at a likely cost around £20,000.