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

New Vauxhall Astra Roadster preview

Rendering of the Vauxhall Astra Roadster With the new Vauxhall Astra starting to be pushed by Vauxhall ahead of its official launch at Frankfurt in September, thoughts are now turning to what derivatives of the new Astra are to come. Vauxhall are already committed to the three door hatchback and the estate as the follow up after the launch, but an obvious contender is an open-topped Astra. And if these renderings are to be believed it will be a bit of a show-stopper.

Survey reveals in-car climate clashes

CLIMATE change isn’t just leading to arguments in politics – it’s causing heat in cars, too, because it seems men and women simply can’t agree on what temperature to set. A new study from Kwik Fit has revealed that 52% of couples whose cars have air conditioning argue over what temperature to set it at, and it’s usually men who want it cooler than their female companions. And as many as 250,000 drivers across the country say their air-con preferences are so different to their partner’s that they simply have to keep the system turned off to avoid bust-ups.

Autonomous cars on British roads by January 2015 – Vince Cable

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 30 July 2014 09:18 The British government today announced new laws to allow autonomous cars on UK roads by 2015, prompting a review of the Highway Code and new legal measures to make sure driverless cars comply with current motoring law. Business secretary Vince Cable attended an event at the motor industry test facility at MIRA in the Midlands to unveil the measures, which include a £10 million regional fund for cities to apply to become a driverless car test area. Up to three cities will be selected to share the funding for trials that are expected to last between 18-36 months.