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

MINI First introduced

MINI has a new budget model - The MINI First With all things Eco the flavour of the month, and with budgets stretched in households everywhere, a cheap, entry-level budget MINI is a tempting prospect. You still get the iconic shape, and you still get a very good chassis – which translates in to good handling and a decent ride – but you’re not paying a fortune for the fripperies. After all, there are MINIs that will set you back £25k (the MINI JCW Cabriolet), but the new MINI First is a very tempting £10,950.

Alfa Romeo 4C to spearhead marque's return to the US

Alfa Romeo is coming back to the U.S. this summer, and at next month's New York auto show the company will present the 4C Coupe to the American public. We need to take a step back to point out that even though the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione was officially sold on our shores in a handful of locations (to a smattering of well-heeled buyers), the automaker's planned return this summer will offer cars for--ahem--a slightly larger audience.

London's GPS-based speed-limit trial puts Big Brother's foot on the gas pedal

A fleet of 12 Toyota Priuses in London have been fitted with GPS-linked speed limiters to measure how drivers respond to having their speed controlled by a computer rather than their own feet. For now, the trial is local to London, run by Transport for London, the agency that manages the city's roads, buses, subways and trains. The agency is using its own fleet of Priuses for the test and will add a bus and a taxi later this year.