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

Audi A4 SE Technik – gets more equipment, costs less

The Audi A4 SE Technik (pictured) gets more equipment and costs less ‘Special Edition’ cars are a way to get more for less from car makers, as long as the goodies on offer at cut price float your boat, and Audi’s Technik upgrade for the new A4 Saloon and Avant is one such upgrade that offers good value. And now it’s got better. The A4 Technik already gets a well-chose list of upgrades from the regular SE trim, with Milano leather, HDD MMI Nav plus, AMI iPod connection and Audi Parking Plus all part of the package at an extra cost of £1,350 over the SE spec.

2011 Vauxhall VXR8 revealed

2011 Vauxhall VXR8 will cost £50k The world is woefully short of old-fashioned, rear-wheel drive, hairy-chested saloon cars that actually handle. True, there are still some Yank-Tanks around at less than stellar money that do a good impersonation, but for the real deal you need to buy a Vauxhall. Or at least a Vauxhall from Oz – the 2011 Vauxhall VXR8 (which we saw at Goodwood in the summer in Holden clothes).

New MINI 5-door Hatch starts rolling off the production line in Oxford

New MINI 5-door Hatch starts rolling off the production line in Oxford MINi are wasting no time in getting the new 5-door MINI Hatch in to production following its reveal at the start of June, with the firs 5-door MINIs already rolling off the production line at MINI’s Oxford Plant. The five-door MINI is the second MINI model to be built off BMW’s new UKL 1 platform – the new MIN I being the first – with the platform stretched to give the five-door an extra 72mm in it wheelbase, 15mm extra headroom and enough length to add a pair of (small) back doors). And unlike the three-door Hatch, the new five-door Hatch will be available with a full suite of models from the off, with the SD Cooper included in the range from launch as well as the  Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S.