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

MG TF roadster likely to die this year

The venerable MG TF is likely to be axed this year after 16 years of production. The new Chinese-owned MG company has manufactured a few hundred TFs in Longbridge as it's taken its first tentative steps towards relaunching the famous brand in its home market. But Brits have bought just a handful of TFs since its relaunch in 2008.

Skoda Octavia vRS breaks 200 mph at Bonneville

Skoda Octavia vRS breaks 200mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats You can tell just how far Skoda has come from its days as makers of mobile skips when they can justify going out to play at the Bonneville Salt Flats with a Skoda Octavia vRS, just for the glow the outing will cast on its range. But they haven’t just gone to play, they’ve also achieved the quite remarkable feat of taking a modestly modified Octavia vRS to 202.15mph, which is going to do no harm whatsoever in drawing attention to the very appealing vRS cars in the Skoda range. To drag an extra 50mph plus out of Octavia vRS did necessitate a tweak or three, but nothing overly dramatic.

BMW ActiveHybrid X6 – blink and you’ll have missed it

BMW ActiveHybrid X6 ends production On the face of it, adding hybrid gubbins to an expensive SUV should be a winner. Extra power and better economy – with the extra cost easily lost in an already expensive SUV – makes some sense. Or at least BMW thought so when the BMW AciveHybrid X6 was launched in 2009.