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

New techniques cut cost of carbon fiber

Carbon fiber, once so costly that it was the preferred material only for fighter planes and supercars, is catching the attention of weight-conscious automakers. Carbon fiber's cost is falling dramatically, thanks to production advances that let suppliers speed the material's finicky, and costly, curing process. One technological breakthrough that makes carbon-fiber auto parts more affordable may come from a process used to make carbon-fiber golf clubs.

Volkswagen XL1: Geneva Motor Show 2013

The VW XL1 is going in to limited production with the promise of 314mpg and a price tag likely to be £100,000. Surprisingly, one of those ‘Super’ cars is a Volkswagen that will cost £100,000 and has all the attributes of a supercar. Except its party trick is extreme performance in economy, rather than performance.

UK Ferrari sales outstrip entire Middle East

ITALIAN supercar company Ferrari raced to a record year in 2013 on the back of expanding UK sales, selling more cars in Britain than in the Middle East and Africa combined. As a result the company made an all-time high net profit of 264 million Euros (£217 million) - a 5.4% rise on 2012. A total of 677 Ferraris were sold in the UK, with the nation overtaking Germany as the company's strongest European market and leaving the oil-rich states trailing.