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

BMW to offer rear-wheel drive X3 SUV

Most BMW X3s spend a negligible amount of time off road - apart from crunching across Middle England's gravel driveways - so BMW has seen fit to release a version that ditches the all-paw capacity and reverts to classic rear-wheel drive. While it's still going to be some way from a classic rear-drive Ultimate Driving Machine, the X3 sDrive18d is the cheapest and most economical way into X3 ownership. You'll be able to get your hands on one from £28,580 when it arrives in the UK in the autumn of 2012.

Clean cars make us happy

A CLEAN CAR makes us feel happier and three out of four drivers say a spotless car makes them feel better about themselves. In a survey by car wash specialists IMO, 74% of drivers reported a shiny car was a quick way to make themselves happier, while only a minority said they would ‘rather boil their head’ than get their car washed. Young drivers are the most likely to improve their mood with a car wash, with 85% saying a shiny car gives them a boost.

One Lap of the Web: Panteras, Battlebirds and Patrick Dempsey's entrepreneurial brilliance

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- Sure, later versions of the De Tomaso Pantera looked a bit outrageous with their wide fenders and Countach-like spoilers.