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

Family Favourite Gets A Refresh

FORD has taken the wraps off its refreshed Focus. The car, which remains a firm favourite with both private buyers and business users, gains a more distinctive nose and a technology boost. Expected to hit the showrooms later this year, the Focus adopts Ford’s new exterior nose treatment – a version of which has already been adapted for the recently refreshed Fiesta supermini.

Gordon Murray Design T27 crash tested

The original Smart car probably did more than its fair share to persuade us that small cars needn't necessarily be unsafe. But now Gordon Murray is on the same mission: to persuade us that his titchy T27 city car is as safe as houses too. Gordon Murray Design has just issued its first crash test results, showing a T27 electric car after a crash test at the UK's MIRA industry research lab.  The crash test in question was the European-standard 40% offset deformable barrier front high-speed impact.

Petrolhead spiders cause Mazda recall

Mazda has had to recall 42,000 vehicles in the US after it emerged that a species of spider had been weaving webs in fuel vent hoses, increasing the risk of fuel leaks and fires. The yellow sac spider’s curious domestic activities cause a build-up of pressure in the evaporative fuel vent that – in theory at least – could result in a cracked fuel tank and therefore an increased risk of fire. This isn’t the first time that the Mazda 6 has received the unwanted advances of a gas-guzzling arachnid, either – three years ago Mazda had to recall over 50,000 cars for precisely the same reason.