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

Driven: BMW X3

The BMW X3 had the premium CUV market to itself when launched in 2004. Skip forward to the launch of the second generation and not only does the new version have a whole host of competitors for company, it also has to fit around its X1, X5 and X6 siblings. We took the 2011 BMW X3 (known internally as F25) to the Austrian Tyrol and spoke to its exterior designer, Erik Goplen, to find out if it still has the segment covered.

Breakeryard designs 'Woman-Proof' car

Breakeryard, the UK's network of national breakers, has designed a garish pink ‘Woman-Proof' concept car with the aim of making parking easier for ‘non-confident' female drivers. In an exercise with its tongue firmly in its cheek Breakeryard has not only designed, but also commissioned some mock-ups of a car to combat problems highlighted in a survey of 1,421 female drivers. ‘Peripheral visibility' was identified as a problem by 44 percent of respondents, so the concept has a bubble-top design to combat this, which would be framed by a reinforced structure for safety purposes.

London F1 Grand Prix plans completely serious, says Ecclestone

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says the recent publicity stunt by Santander for a London F1 Grand Prix are in fact a serious proposal. We recently saw plans for an F1 Grand Prix in London surface as something of a publicity stunt for Santander, with an impressive video (below) featuring McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson button. The start of the London F1 Grand Prix is envisaged at Buckingham Palace and takes in the Mall, The Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and a host of London’s iconic landmarks in a Grand Prix at night expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.