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

New Mercedes S-Class Plug-in Hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

The new Mercedes S-Class (pictured) will arrive with a plug-in hybrid version in September We’ve known Mercedes were planning a plug-in hybrid version of the new S-Class as far back as 2009, and it now appears it will debut – as a 2014 model – at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. When Mercedes revealed the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid Concept at Frankfurt in 2009, they had fitted it with a V6 petrol engine mated to a 44kw motor and a bank of lithium-ion batteries, and promised the hybrid S-Class would do 90mpg, have emissions of under 75g/km and manage 18 miles in EV mode. That means the hybrid S-Class would have performance comparable to the V8 petrol-engined S500 but attract no BIK or VED in the UK.

2014 Honda Civic Tourer priced from £20,265

Order books will open next month for the 2014 Honda Civic Tourer – and surprisingly, it’ll cost more than a Volkswagen Golf. The entry-level 1.8-litre petrol will start at £20,265 – around £2,000 more than the base-spec Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf estates. But it beats them all for boot space.

Jaguar XF Diesel S Bares its Claws

Jaguar XF Diesel S - more power, less fuel We all know how many problems the world’s car makers are having at the moment, and unless central banks ensure normal lending resumes very quickly we’ll all be in a big hole without a shovel. But when you look at what some of the best car manufacturers now have to offer we should be queueing at their door, and finance companies should be bending over backwards to lend. We’ve seen some great new models, and updates to existing models, come along in the last couple of months since the credit crunch has really started to bite.