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

Cash-for-clunkers gems: Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs and one infamous Bentley meet the end of the road

By now, the high-profile casualties of cash-for-clunkers are well documented: a Bentley Continental R and an Aston Martin DB7 Volante from 1997 and a 1985 Maserati Quattroporte all perished under the government-funded incentive program. But scratching beneath the surface reveals that scores of everyday enthusiast rides such as Mustangs, Camaros and even some Corvettes met ignominious endings by having their engines destroyed and their bodies crushed. While it’s likely that many of the nearly 700,000 clunkers turned in actually were at the end of their roads, the final report released by the government reveals the demise of plenty of affordable, likely still-fixable cars that could have been enjoyed by collectors of all ages.

SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE does 100mpg

Gerhard Plattner achieved almost 100mpg in a SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE But when press release came in from SEAT this afternoon telling us that a SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE has just achieved a run, on real roads from Barcelona to Germany, of 1,562km and used just 45.53 litres of fuel, we had to get our calculators out (we’re so old now we can only see the reality of the achievement in mpg!). By our reckoning the Ibiza managed just a shade under 100mpg. Astonishing.

2012 Mercedes S Class to spawn a convertible

The n2012 Mercedes S Class will lose its top It’s probably a sign of increasing decrepitude as it seems only five minutes since Mercedes launched the current S Class, but already we’re talking about the 2012 Mercedes S Class – and it’s only a year away. As has always been the case with a new S-Class we can look forward to a raft of new innovations when the new S Class launches late next year; clever stuff that will eventually filter down to the cars of lesser mortals as the technology matures and the cost falls. And that clever stuff will be packaged up in a big saloon car – the normal S-Class – an even bigger car – the LWB S-Class – and a huge two door coupe – the Mercedes CL, which is expected to be renamed the S-Class Coupe when the new S-Class launches.