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

Cash for clunkers plan revives trade fight

Import brand automakers and dealers warned on Thursday that a vehicle scrappage proposal before the Senate would violate trade agreements and could weaken the economy. The Senate could vote on the plan on Thursday, which would offer $10,000 to any moderate- or low-income consumer who trades in a car or truck that is at least 10 years old and buys a new one that is more fuel-efficient and "assembled in the United States." The trade-ins would be scrapped rather than resold. The U.S.-made mandate "smacks of the protectionism that led to the Great Depression," said Barbara Nocera, the top Washington lobbyist for Mazda North American Operations.

Alfa Romeo MiTo Review (2012): Quadrifoglio Verde (Cloverleaf)

We have the range-topping Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (Cloverleaf) in for a week for review and test. The Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (or Alfa MiTo Cloverleaf to us linguistically challenged Brits) is Alfa’s efforts at a proper little hot hatch and gets the very good 170bhp 1.4 litre MultiAir engine under the bonnet, offering real performance promise. The MiTo is a bit of a Marmite car in the looks department with its small car take on an 8C nose.

Nissan GT-R SpecV – UK and Europe launch

The £124,900 Nissan GT-R SpecV for the UK It’s almost a year since Nissan announced the GT-R SpecV for the Japanese market – and ten months since it went on sale – but they’ve just announced a limited run of Nissan GT-R SpecV for the UK and European markets. Just 40 will be produced at a slightly pricey £124,900 – more than twice the price of the Standard Nissan GT-R. If you use anything else as a benchmark for value for performance the GT-R SpecV stacks up.