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

Consulatation on 20mph speed limit

BIRMINGHAM City Council has launched a public consultation on plans which could see around 90% of roads in the city given a 20mph speed limit. The authority believes the "20 is Plenty" scheme, costing around £7 million, would make residential streets safer and transport networks more sustainable. Key routes would keep higher speed limits under the long-term proposals, but public feedback is also being sought on whether the 20mph scheme should also be considered for busy high street shopping areas, around schools, leisure facilities, hospitals and public transport interchanges.

2012 Audi A6 Avant arrives

The new Audi A6 Avant arrives It’s a strange thing, but we find the Avant version of the Audi A6 somehow more appealing than the regular saloon. It shouldn’t be so; surely the Estate is the utilitarian option? But there’s something hugely appealing about a load lugger that can offer real saloon car levels of comfort and handling (and even barking mad performance in the RS6 Avant).

Mercedes-Benz prototypes spotted

Modern technology makes it harder for automakers to hide their upcoming products from prying eyes. Take, for example, these images sent to us from Autoweek subscriber Jonathan Peters while he was in Utah. Peters speculates that what he saw was a gathering of a varied Mercedes-Benz cars being tested, along with cars from other carmakers for comparisons.