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

Lancia postpones UK launch

By James Foxall Motor Industry 11 April 2008 16:02 Lancia has postponed its return to the UK by nearly a year. The company had planned a glitzy British launch at the end of summer 2008, spearheaded by the all-new Audi A3 rivalling Delta (pictured) that was unveiled at March’s Geneva motor show.The comeback has now been rescheduled for summer 2009. Sources cited two major reasons for the delay.

Call for reform over road repair funding

FUNDING patterns mean most road maintenance is being carried out in "less-efficient, cold and wet" times, a report from a Government spending watchdog has said. The current pattern of funding, combined with the need to spend money within the financial year, means that most maintenance work goes on between September and March, said the report from the National Audit Office (NAO). It went on: "Although this is less disruptive for road users, it is less efficient than carrying out the work at other times of year because materials can be more difficult to handle in cold and wet conditions, and daylight hours are shorter." The report went on: "As a result of the additional funding for emergency repairs, which is made available at the end of the financial year, almost all highways authorities need extra capacity from the market at the same time, which makes it less likely that they will get value for money." The NAO report said there was a "lack of predictability" over road spending adding that historically, local highway authorities spent more revenue on maintenance, but were now carrying out fewer routine activities such as clearing gullies which are essential to preventing water seeping into roads' sub-structure.

VW Golf GTI concept (2012) first pictures

Volkswagen surprised the Paris motor show attendees with this production-ready Golf GTI concept car shown today. Although dubbed a concept, everything looks and feels like a showroom ready hot hatch. Expect to see the real thing at next spring's 2013 Geneva motor show.