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

Bad-tempered driving increases over winter

We’re officially a nation of grumpy drivers – not helped by the bad weather and the end of Christmas festivities, a survey has revealed. Halfords Autocentres carried out a study about how winter affects motorists and found that experiences of impatient, aggressive and inconsiderate driving increase at this time of year. On Bing: see pictures of road rage British drivers ‘lack common courtesy’ Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres: “It seems that the festivities take their toll on the nation’s road manners and tempers flare leading to less kindness and unselfish behaviour from some motorists.” 23% of respondents felt that unfriendly and bad tempered behaviour was a major issue during the winter months, while a fifth said there was a rise in aggressive and impatient driving.

Nissan Resonance Concept at Detroit. The next Murano SUV?

Nissan are teasing the Resonance Concept ahead of a debut at the Detroit Auto Show, which could be the next Murano SUV. The 2013 Detroit Auto show is looming, and the teases are starting to gather momentum as car makers seek to pique interest in their new and future models. This afternoon it’s the turn of Nissan to tease a new concept for Detroit – the Nissan Resonance Concept – although beyond the usual teaser image (above) there’s little to go on.

Driven: Volkswagen Passat CC GT

Elegant and refined. Forty years ago these two words would not have been used to describe the Beetles bought in droves by the counterculture in the US; a symbol of the hippy movement and the definitive people's car, designed at a time when Germany sought to put people in motion. With the Passat CC, however, Volkswagen is indeed making a sharp move away from the ‘volks wagen', and these two words rolled off the tongues of those who saw the car in all three countries we drove through on our winter holiday.