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

Lotus prices Exige S Roadster from £52,900

Lotus has announced its new Exige S Roadster will be priced from £52,900 – exactly the same as the hard-top Exige S. It’s also slightly lighter than the fixed-head Exige, and matches its blistering acceleration times.  That £52,900 tag makes the 345bhp Exige S Roadster £7500 pricier than a (pre-options list) Porsche Boxster S manual, though the 1328kg Porsche makes do with only 315bhp.

Audi RS6 Avant ‘Plus’ planned with 600bhp

Audi are planning a ‘Plus’ model of the new RS6 Avant which will come with around 600bhp and be a full production model. Just as they have with the launch of the TT RS Plus, Audi are planning to give the new RS6 Avant even more power than it already enjoys in an RS6 Avant Plus model, and it won’t be a limited edition model but a full production option. Talking to Car Magazine, Stephan Reil, Audi Quattri Division boss, said that Audi were planning a range of RS Plus models which could get not just a performance boost but less weight too.

Connecticut garage fire destroys Volt and homemade EV

News reports say two plug-in electric cars--a 2011 Chevrolet Volt and a home-converted Suzuki Samurai--were destroyed in a garage fire in Barkhamsted, Conn., on April 14. The destroyed Volt had just 2,000 miles on the odometer. The owner said he converted the Samurai to electric power a few years ago.