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

The Mini is 50 years old today

  Today - 08/05/2009 - is the 50th anniversary of the first Mini rolling off the production line. To celebrate, and for a bit of free publicity (see, we’re playing the game) BMW has shipped the first Mini to roll of the production line back to Cowley to celebrate (picture at the bottom). 621 AOK, a Mini Minor, in Old English White, looks as fresh as the day it rolled off the production line half a century ago (although I wouldn’t mind betting it doesn’t have it’s original sills – they always rusted through – or copes with its original distributor and leads – one splash of rain and the car ground to a halt!).

Aston Martin DBS twins emerge from barn

Forgotten Aston Martins still turn up in barns and garages all over with world with some regularity, though rarely are they identical twins. This pair of DBS coupes emerged from more than a decade of storage in a barn just recently, and if it weren't for the license plates, we'd have trouble telling them apart. These two come from a large private collection, but both were tucked away after being acquired in largely original condition more than 10 years ago.

Euro NCAP latest results

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 19 December 2007 11:36 The latest round of Euro NCAP results are announced today, with another round of high scores from a range of superminis and family cars. But none of the cars tested could manage more than three stars for pedestrian protection. Daihatsu's Materia supermini and, surprisingly, the Honda Civic trailed the pack with only four stars for occupant safety, but the Merc C-class, Renault Laguna, Volvo V70 and – impressively – the tiny Mazda 2 all came out with the top score.