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

Used cars 'getting cheaper'

CONSUMERS holding on to their motor for longer are driving down the cost of used cars, according to new research. The average price for a second-hand car in July-September 2011 was £8,870 - a 2.4% decline compared with the same period a year ago, according to the Auto Trader company. It is the first time the price has dipped below £9,000 since the company started tracking the market in January 2010.

The Porsche P1 is lighter, greener and more exclusive than McLaren's new hypercar

Long before the legendary Porsche 911 -- before, even, the Porsche 356 -- Ferdinand Porsche was tinkering with alternative powertrains and designing road-worthy vehicles. Though it wasn't the first vehicle to bear his name, the “Egger-Lohner electric vehicle, C.2 Phaeton model” was the earliest result of his efforts. Perhaps getting the jump on the modern alpha-numeric craze/plague, it was shortened to a simple “P1.” The P1 (we'll refer to it as the Porsche P1 from here on out to avoid confusion) made its first appearance in Vienna on June 26, 1898, and it didn't last long in the public eye: Before Porsche decided to pull it out and put it on display, it had reportedly been sitting in a warehouse, untouched, since 1902.

BMW vs Alfa design. Separated at birth?

CAR Online reader reckons there's something in the water in Munich and Turin By Nour Kanafani Motoring Issues 22 December 2008 17:19 CAR Online reader Nour Kanafani sent in this photo and a delightfully succinct caption, which got us thinking... Remember you can upload your own scoops and news stories by scrolling to the foot of each page and clicking 'Upload stories, photos or videos direct to the site''If BMWs looked like Alfas and Alfas drove like BMWs'... At least we have the first one settled!