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

Upgraded Mazda MX-5 hits the UK

[ad#ad-1] Back in December we brought you news of the updates to the Japanese MX-5 – The Mazda Roadster – and as expected they’ve now filtered through for UK Cars, with the first cars appearing in showrooms in April. The MX-5 has, quite rightly, dominated the little, open sports car market for ever. It does so much so very right, and so little wrong, it is an example of how to dominate a niche.

Toyota Avensis updated

Toyota has upgraded the Avensis with new engines and spec changes First up is a new, entry-level 1.6 litre petrol Valvematic, which offers 0-60 mph in a bit over 10 seconds, and returns 43.5 mpg. Available in T2 and TR grade saloon and tourer models, the petrol engine gets mated to a six-speed manual ‘box Also new is the 2.2 litre diesel with 148bhp and a 0-60 of 9.5 seconds. This gets Toyota’s 6-speed auto ‘box.

Renault buys Caterham out of the joint Alpine sports car venture

Renault buys Caterham out of the joint Alpine sports car venture It’s more than eighteen months since Renault and Caterham joined forces to create a new breed of sports cars around the Alpine brand. Renault say the arrangement is a mutual one and officially brings to an end the joint venture, and that the business will be renamed Société des Automobiles Alpine this month, although Renault aren’t excluding further ventures with Caterham in the future. The split means that the Alpine project will now be a purely Renault one, and Renault are planning to get their Alpine to market by 2016.