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

What scrappage incentives are doing to the European market

Scrappage incentive By Glenn Brooks Motor Industry 21 May 2009 10:15 Remember the old shape Skoda Octavia? We might not be able to buy it in Blighty but it’s roaring up the sales charts in Germany thanks to scrappage incentives on offer there. All across Europe, cash-for-clunkers schemes are turning markets upside down, with the brands that offer the most car for the money the biggest winners.

LG seeks a ban on BMW & Audi imports to Korea

Audi's LEDs are said to infringe LG patents It seems there isn’t a day that passes without big companies playing out their patent disputes in courts round the world. We’ve seen ongoing spats between Google, Apple, Samsung and HTC, and now we hear that LG Electronics is seeking a ban on imports of Audi and BMW cars to Korea over an LED patent dispute with Siemans Osram. LG Electronics has already demanded a ban on imports of LED products from Siemans Osram, and is now stepping up the pressure by demanding that Audi and BMW cars featuring Osram LED lights be banned.

Volvo S60 DRIVe & V60 DRIVe launch

The Volvo V60 DRIVe This week we’re out playing with a Volvo DRIVe model, although our car is the S40 DRIVe. DRIVe models are Volvo’s push at all things green (or all things blue if you’re German) and take a regular Volvo and eco the bejesus out of it with stuff like stop-start, low rolling resistance tyres and the plethora of eco-toys car makers use to make the headline economy and emissions unbelievable. The result is a Volvo that drives pretty much the same as any Volvo but which can – as long as you play the eco-driving game – run almost on fresh air, and because cars like this are designed to hit emissions targets on official cycles, they’re also good on stuff like VED and BIK. And if the S40 DRIVe we’ve got this week is anything to go by, you can still drive with enthusiasm and enjoy it as long as you don’t mind the economy suffering.