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

Driven: Mini Countryman

There has been no more contentious a car launched this year than the Mini Countryman. It's been labeled by some as sacrilegious to the very essence of the Mini brand, of 'selling out' and, yes, of being ugly. But does the concept of a four-meter Mini translate to use in the real world?

Is the Ford Fiesta ST more powerful in the US than the UK?

And although the Fiesta ST manages to undercut the new 208 GTI by £2k, it doesn’t need a hair shirt approach to equipment to achieve it, but comes equipped with AirCon, 17″ alloys, a bit of a body kit and lowered suspension. Throw another £1,000 in the pot for the ST2 and you’ll also get Keyless, leather and Climate. A decent offering.

Hyundai i30 3-Door looks good: Paris 2012

The public debut of the slightly racy looking Hyundai i30 3-Door at the Paris 2012 shows it to be a convincing looking car. Sleeker and more sporty looking than its five door sibling, the 3-door i30 (we’ve said it before, it should be i30 Coupe) offers all the well-built, well thought out and decent looks of the 5-door version, but with a bit more panache. What it’s crying out for, though, is something a bit more interesting under the bonnet and the option of some nice alloys and a few subtle body modifications; perhaps a small spoiler at the back, some subtly bigger sills, more butch bumpers and a small ride height drop?