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

Fiat 500XL spied undisguised – it’s not a looker

The Fiat 500 range has already expanded from the very successful recreation of the original 500 in to something bigger and more family friendly with the 500L, and now we have the joy of an even bigger version on the way – the Fiat 500XL. The 500L managed to lose almost all of the chic retro appeal the 500 managed so convincingly, and it looks like the 500XL goes a step further, with looks that only its mother could love. Grafting an extra 200mm on the back of the 500L perhaps seems like a good idea, but the execution doesn’t sit well.

Mini hits three million milestone

THE MUCH-LOVED new Mini has reached two major milestones this week. Since BMW took over the brand in 2001, three million Minis have now been produced at the plant in Oxford and the company has also reached the two million mark in Minis for export. The three millionth Mini is a five-door Hatch Cooper S and has a special exterior design to celebrate its heritage and British roots.

VW Scirocco & VW Passat CC get BlueMotion Technology

The VW Passat CC BlueMotion Technology - with added economy Volkswagen is busy rolling out its BlueMotion Technology models (as opposed to the ultimate eco version in the range, which is simply ‘BlueMotion’) across its range, yielding some pretty impressive CO2 and fuel savings in the process. Now it’s the turn of the VW Scirocco and VW Passat CC to get the BlueMotion Technology tweaking and fettling to yield the right numbers to keep the taxman at bay. And, just as they have with other VW BlueTechnology models, VW has managed to tease and cajole some pretty impressive numbers from both the Scirocco and Passat CC.