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

BARONS ENDS YEAR ON HIGH

AUCTION HOUSE Barons has celebrated a successful classic car auction with 44 successful sales and a 1959 Aston Martin DB MKIII DHC making £175,000. The classic Aston had belonged to the same family since it was three-months-old and was joined by another DB MKIII example, a rolling restoration project that fetched £70,000. Another notable sale was a "time-warp" 1970 Ford Escort Delux MkI, which had covered just 2,600 miles in 40 years.

BMW 7-series hybrid due in 2009

By Nick Gibbs Motor Industry 07 July 2008 14:30 BMW will launch a hybrid petrol version of the newly unveiled 7-series in 2009, but admits it’s more for green-leaning V8 addicts than seriously eco-aware bosses. Even with the latest lithium-ion batteries, the forthcoming 4.4-litre V8 petrol-electric version will struggle to match the astonishing 39.2mpg and 192g/km of CO2 of the new six-cylinder diesel, especially when BMW will launch stop-start technology for the whole range within two years. The hybrid is likely to cost several thousand more than the £65,000 it’s estimated you’ll need to buy the regular, twin-turbo 750i that goes on sale in November 2008.

Are the Mini Coupe and Roadster on their way out?

The slow-selling Mini Coupe and Roadster could be replaced by an all new sports model soon, Australian site CarSales is reporting. The pair haven't fired up the Mini faithful as some other recent models from the brand, and a refreshed Mini lineup is on the horizon including 18 new cars based on Mini's two platforms. Knowing Mini's ability to spin off models, that number doesn't sound too far-fetched.