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

Electric cars get a £500 million government cash boost – but will it get spent?

The new BMW i3 EV (pictured) will be subsidised until 2017. The subsidy of up to £5000 paid to buyers of electric cars has been with us for three years, but it hasn’t had much impact on EV sales and it did look like the government had decided to scrap it all together. But it looks like the coalition has allowed Nick Clegg to have his way with EV subsides in a move that will see £500 million injected in to promoting and supporting electric cars in the UK in the next few years.

Pagani Huayra: In the U.S by 2013 say Pagani

Pagani Huayra - now heading for the USA in 2013 At the weekend we broke the news that Pagani were not going to be able to take the Huayra to the US for the foreseeable future, as they’d had their application for a Temporary Exemption from Advanced Air Bag Requirements denied by the DOT. Which we’ve known was likely for months. So we asked why Pagani continued with its US launch and continued taking orders for cars it knew, almost certainly, it wouldn’t be able to complete.

Infiniti Etherea concept (2011) at 2011 Geneva motor show

This is the Infinit Etherea, unveiled today at the 2011 Geneva motor show, and the company is unusually candid about the purpose of this new, smaller Infiniti show car. The blurb says: 'it is a compact luxury model that previews how a future entry-level Infiniti could look.' Says it all really. The compact vehicle is aimed at the younger buyer looking for a little luxury - it's all about downsizing.