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

Driven: BMW 5 Series GT

It's an illustration of the place London has become that it's typically possible to park brand new or exotic cars on an average street and be met with studied indifference by the average passer by. So why, during a week of driving a BMW 5 Series GT, were we made to feel so conspicuous? Every time we parked in a busy area, at least one stranger felt the need to remark, usually to tell us how ugly they thought it was.

BMW Gran Lusso Coupe Concept plots 8-series return

This sleek two door coupe concept, unveiled at the 2013 Villa d'Este Concourso d'Eleganza on Italy's Lake Como shores, could provide the stylistic inspiration for a BMW 8-series return. The Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe is a contemporary four seater created in cooperation between BMW's in-house design team headed by Karim Habib and famed Italian design house Pininfarina. The car is based on a modified rear-drive BMW 7-series platform and uses the 760i's 6.0-liter, 536-hp turbo V12 for power.

Crackdown on bogus claims helps insurance costs fall by 12%

CAR INSURANCE premiums have plunged at a record rate of 12% year-on-year amid a tougher clampdown to combat bogus motor accident claims which add to the costs of everyone's policies. The typical quote for annual comprehensive car insurance cover was £568 in October, marking a 4.5% drop on July and a 12.4% fall on a year ago, according to the latest AA Insurance premium index, which takes the average of the five cheapest quotes on the market. This is the biggest annual slide that the AA has on its records, which go back to 1994, and marks a sharp turnaround for motorists following a period of strong increases, with premiums rising by more than 40% just two years ago.