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

Bungling thief caught after stealing hire car's steering wheel

A DIM-WITTED criminal has been convicted of theft after stealing parts of a brand new Audi A3 hire car and replacing them with old bits taken from his much older Audi S3. Alexander Keating, a 23-year-old former bodyshop technician who lost his job following the conviction, stole parts as obvious as the steering wheel and gear knob from the A3 that his mum had hired after damaging her car in an accident. Keating foolishly believed no one would notice the battered old steering wheel on the otherwise shiny, new car, but sure enough the mismatched parts were spotted and the hapless bungler was caught by the car hire firm’s bespoke anti-fraud team Asset Protection Unit (APU).

European car sales show signs of resurgence

New car sales in both France and Spain have risen for the fifth month in a row to January 2014, showing signs the European car market is on the up. The news is positive for Europe’s automotive sector, which has been in decline for six years. On Bing: see pictures of new cars for 2014 Find out how much a used car costs on Auto Trader Alongside the relative success in France and Spain – two of the biggest hit regions for new car sales following the global economic downturn – Italy also recorded positive results for new vehicle registrations.

Cadillac ELR spotted on the roads

Cadillac will deliver a sporting luxury coupe with Chevrolet Volt-based technology for 2014. Called the ELR, the Caddy was previewed with the Converj concept at the 2009 Detroit auto show. These spy shots clearly reveal Caddy emblems and styling cues.