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

Hands-free car phones 'should be banned'

THE USE hands-free mobile phones while driving should be banned. This is the view of road safety charity Brake that says four in ten drivers (38%) admit to using hands-free phones in the car despite research that shows talking on a hands-free system is just as dangerous as using a hand-held mobile phone. Drivers who use a mobile phone while driving are four times more likely to be involved in a collision that causes serious or fatal injuries.

Saab gets latest lifeline via $5 million infusion from Chinese company

Saab has been on the edge of collapse since a cash shortage early this year forced it to halt production. Now Automotive News reports that a last-minute payment from China's Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile has given the Swedish carmaker yet another shot. Youngman wants to get a stake in Saab and has taken the first step by giving the company $5 million to cover tax expenses, with another $26.43 million forthcoming for unpaid salaries and $13.18 million more before the end of December.

Jeep Grand Cherokee to get ZF 8-speed auto ‘box

Jeep Grand Cherokee to get 8-Speed ZF Gearbox The latest version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee has only just arrived, but already Jeep are planning improvements with the confirmation that the Grand Cherokee is to get the new 8-Speed automatic gearbox from ZF. The 8-speed ZF auto ‘box should help all round with the new Grand Cherokee, which already offers the promise of an American SUV matching the expectations of European buyers and, more importantly, offering a viable alternative to the offerings in the premium SUV sector from the Germans. Not only does the new Grand Cherokee look able and promising, even with a relatively modest 3.0 litre diesel being the only engine on offer for the mainstream Grand Cherokees, but with a starting point of under £38k (and a top-end price of £44k) there’s a lot on offer.