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

Lotus's glimmer of hope: Proton stands by Hethel

After another painful year of sales for Lotus in the UK – down 58% on 2011 - Norfolk's beleagured sports car brand has kicked off the New Year with the grand unveiling of its new flagship Malaysian showroom, and the thumbs-up from senior Proton company suits that Lotus isn't on its last legs. The announcement comes in the same week Lotus’s sales figures were released for 2012. Showing a substantial 58% decrease in sales and selling just 137 vehicles, Lotus Cars was the worst performer in the UK with a woeful 0.01% share of the market.  Are Lotus's Malaysian owners sticking by the company?

Gordon Murray T25

Gordon Murray Design has unveiled the T25 prototype, a car that the company's founder, Gordon Murray, has long talked about as the vehicle that will revolutionize the automotive industry. At just 2400mm long, 1300mm wide and 1600mm high, the T25 occupies a greatly reduced footprint in comparison to a Smart ForTwo or Toyota iQ. The T25 seats three, with a central driver flanked by two rearward passengers, in a formation reminiscent of Murray's most famous work to date – the McLaren F1.

Skoda Fabia vRS to be dropped due to poor sales. Is that a good idea?

The Skoda Fabia vRS (pictured) is being axed The current version of the Skoda Fabia vRS has been with us since the Geneva Motor Show in 2010, and it’s a cracking little car. It’s the Skoda version of the VW Polo GTI and comes with the same 1.4 litre TSI supercharged with a healthy 178bhp, 7-speed DSG gearbox and performance and economy that satisfies – 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds and 44mpg. But it seems buyers aren’t queueing round the block to drive off in Skoda’s hot little Fabia so it’s going to be dropped.