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

RAC to carry universal spare wheel

The RAC believes call outs to cars with punctures but no spare wheel will reach 250,000 a year by 2015, so has decided to roll out its own universal spare wheel as a hassle-reducing solution. The universal spare wheel, which has already been successfully trialled, should become standard equipment for all RAC breakdown patrols by early February 2014. On Bing: see pictures of universal spare wheels Spare wheel solution from the RAC The RAC has taken this step as increasingly few modern cars are sold with a factory-fitted spare wheel as standard.

World’s oldest unrestored Austin Mini fetches £40k

1959 Austin Mini Seven went for £40k The oldest unrestored Mini in the world was expected to fetch £12-15k in auction last week. It actually went for £40,250. Just a couple of weeks ago we reported that the oldest unrestored Mini in the world was going under the hammer at the Bonhams sale at the RAF Museum in Hendon, expected to fetch as much as £15k.

70% of premium brand cars stolen are taken with the car’s own keys

High-end SUVs – like the new Range Rover (pictured) are a prime target for car key thieves There was once a time when all it took to steal a car was a wire coathanger and the ability to hotwire the ignition. But as car makers have got better at securing the second most expensive asset most of us will ever own, car thieves have had to look for a different approach, and that approach is increasingly to relieve owners of the keys to their pride and joy. Cobra – the vehicle tracking firm – are reporting that a massive 70 per cent of all premium brand cars stolen in 2014 – with an average value of £40k, up £6k on 2012 – are being parted from their owners using that owners keys.