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

Goodwood Revival 2009: the first details

By Freddie Fulton Motor Shows 10 August 2009 14:22 Mini turned 50 recently, and the celebration of its engineering achievements continues at the Goodwood Revival in September 2009.  Huge numbers of pre-1966 Minis are expected on track, bringing their owners and large numbers of enthusiasts with them.  Champions and role models such as five-time winner of Le Mans Derek Bell will be racing, as well as Jackie Oliver, Bobby Rahal, Anthony Reid and Brian Redman.  You can also hope to see ‘The Rally Professor,’ Rauno Aaltonen, who won the Gallaher 500 touring car races in a Mini Cooper S.  Other Mini legends will include Sir John Whitmore, Alec Poole, Warwick Banks, John Fitzpatrick, Richard Longman and Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams.  We at CAR are most looking forward to when a full 30-car grid, largely composed of 1275cc Mini Coopers, will compete in a race that is promised to be ‘the most closely fought race in the Revival’s history.’ That’ll be the St Mary’s Trophy saloon car race packed with cars that raced before 1966. Each day, a tribute parade of Minis will lap the circuit and show off some of their retro glory.  Expect some Mini curios: an ice cream van is expected, as well as a Wildgoose camping Mini and other modified models. Some of these ‘Mini cousins’ will include the ‘Riley Elf’ and ‘Wolseley Hornet’ variants, which are noted for their reshaped boots and narrower front grilles.

BMW's MPA line bridges the gap to M

Soon, bridging the gap between your father's 328i M-Sport and the M3 of your dreams will be simple, all thanks to BMW MPA. The admitedly uninspiring "MPA" moniker doesn't refer to an accounting certification available at your local community college, but rather, M Performance Automobiles. It serves as a step between the M-Sport appearance package already available on nearly every BMW model and the fire-breathing M cars at the top.

Rural motorists pay price at pumps

RURAL MOTORISTS are beginning to feel petrol price pressure at the pumps again, according to the AA. Average UK petrol prices went back above 130p a litre at the end of April and continue to hover around that level. But the AA said that a war in which supermarkets have pitted vouchers against rock-bottom pump prices means the cheapest petrol in many big towns and cities is at year-lows of just under 126p.