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

New Mini Hardtop 4-door: First look

Meet the Mini Cooper Hardtop 4-door. The company has followed the surprise unveiling of its one-off Superleggera Vision roadster concept at the recent Villa d'Este Concourse d'Eleganza in Italy with this, a five-door production hatchback that is planned to join its North American lineup later this year. The new Mini model shares its front-wheel-drive mechanical package with the latest three-door Mini Cooper hatchback launched earlier this year but aims to provide more everyday practicality than its popular sibling through a combination of extended external dimensions and a pair of stubby rear doors.

Speakers confirmed for Interior Motives China Conference 2010

Speakers are being confirmed for CDN's China conference this year, an event that seeks to bring together the changing design tones of global OEMs with the best of local design. Titled ‘New brands and the search for a design identity', the conference will explore both global and Chinese influences in this exploding market, and include both international and Chinese design chiefs within global OEMs. The event is hosted by CDN's print magazine, Interior Motives, and takes place in Beijing on 21-22 April, just before the auto show opens to the press on 23 April.

Second new London taxi of 2014 unveiled

LONDONERS had better prepare themselves for another new generation of taxi, just days after Nissan confirmed its own assault on the Black Cab market. The plug-in hybrid Fraser-Nash Range Extended Electric Metrocab is capable of more than 75mpg and less than 50g/km of CO2, and is expected to cost no more than a current Hackney carriage. The company says the vehicle could save cabbies £30 to £40 per day in running costs and can go longer between fill-ups.