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

USED VALUES HOLD STEADY

THERE was no change in the value of the average used car between October and November 2010, according to new figures from BCA. November values were down £111 year-on-year and remained at £5,792 There was a slight increase in the volume of used vehicles reaching the market in November, but not enough to provoke any change. A seasonal lack of interest on the market is to blame for the lack of fluctuation as well as travel difficulties created by the cold weather, according to BCA, and the drop off in demand is likely to remain into December.

Exclusive First Sight: Pininfarina Sergio concept

Upon receiving the call from Pininfarina's PR man, asking if Car Design News would like to head to Torino for a preview of its latest concept car (not a hard offer to accept), we had no other information than its name – Sergio – and an abstract teaser shot of a detail. Driving through lovely, crumbly Turin, and out into the zona industriale towards Pininfaina's Cambiano base, the fear strikes: what if the car's a disappointment? What if it's simply some unremarkable supermini – maybe even an electric one?

GM bets on new four-cylinder family in Europe; U.S. plans unclear

General Motors' European subsidiary, Opel, has revealed a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine that will be offered from early 2013 across its lineup, starting with the soon-to-be-revealed Astra-based Cascada convertible. The aluminum block unit, the first in a new range of so-called SIDI (spark ignition direct injection) ECOTEC engines, forms the centerpiece of the company's downsizing strategy for displacement. The engine is claimed to have improved torque characteristics and a significant reduction in consumption compared with its predecessor.