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

Dacia ‘Twingo’ planned as sub £5,000 entry-level Dacia

The current Ranault Twingo (pictured) looks set to live on as the new Dacia Twingo The new Renault Twingo – which shares its underpinnings with the next Smart – arrived at the Geneva Motor Show last week, and it looks an appealing and impressive city runaround. With 3-cylinder engines, rear wheel drive and decent looks, the Twingo looks to have a decent chance of making sensible sales this side of the Channel as the budget alternative to the next Smart Car, which will be basically the same under the skin. But those plans may go a bit awry if a report from Auto Bild is accurate, as Dacia appear to be preparing to take the current Twingo and turn it in to a budget offering for the Dacia range.

Stress and strife of the school run

SCHOOL RUN WARS are rife, with parents prepared to squabble over parking spaces and argue with their children, according to a survey. As many as 23% of mothers and fathers admitted blocking another parent in with their vehicle and 14% owned up to cutting someone up, the poll of more than 3,000 motorists by Auto Trader showed. Also, 16% of parents have argued with other mothers and fathers on the school run and 53% have had rows with their children.

Cash for clunkers: Is it ready for prime time in America?

One proposed solution to prop up new-car sales in the United States involves paying bonuses to owners of older vehicles who send their cars to the scrapyard and buy new ones. Proponents say that not only does the auto industry benefit, but so does the environment, as emissions decrease and fuel economy typically improves in newer models. Critics, however, say that scrapping older vehicles hurts collectors by reducing the number of older models available and also hurts those least able to afford to buy newer vehicles by driving up the price of used cars.