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

MPs call for parking charge reports

COUNCILS should publish annual parking-charge reports to show where revenue comes from and where it is being used, MPs said today. The use of parking charges and fines specifically to raise revenue was "neither acceptable nor legal" said Louise Ellman, chairman of the House of Commons Transport Committee. Launching a report by her committee into local authority parking enforcement in England, Mrs Ellman said: "There is a deep-rooted public perception that parking enforcement is used as a cash cow, so it's essential that local authorities apply stringent transparency." The committee said local authorities in England had a collective parking surplus in the hundreds of millions of pounds, but that the exact amount was subject to debate.

Fuel-economy standards rise to 27.3 mpg for 2011 model year

Fuel-economy standards for all light vehicles will rise 8 percent, to an average of 27.3 mpg for the 2011 model year, under new U.S. rules issued on Friday. The regulations will use a new system that sets standards for individual models based on their size.

Smart ForTwo GrandStyle Edition looks like the run-out model – price from £10,330

The Smart ForTwo GrandStyle comes as a coupe or cabrio The next generation Smart car is heading for the Paris Motor Show in October, so you can probably look at Smart’s latest special edition car – the Smart ForTwo GrandStyle Edition – as a final hurrah for Mercedes’ city car in its current guise. Based on the Smart Passion trim, the GrandStyle gets a set of 15″ gloss black alloys, LEd running lights,  titanium-coloured surrounds for the headlights, ‘grandstyle’ logos and a choice of five exterior and tridion colours. Inside comes swathed in Artico for an upmarket look, there’s a leather steering wheel, SatNav with 6.5″ colour screen, AirCon, cup holder and the option of a comfort package that adds heated seats and electric heated door mirrors.