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

Citroen DS3 Airflow (DS3 Convertibe) in 2013

Citroen DS3 will get a Fiat 500-style folding roof and be called the DS3 AirFlow As regular readers can’t have failed to notice over the last year or so, the Citroen DS3 is one of our favourite cars. In fact so good is the DS3 we gave it our ‘Best Car when you have to pay for it yourself Award’ in our round-up of the best cars of 2010. For a car based on the dreary – if competent – Citroen C3, the DS3 is a revelation.

Nissan’s new lightweight philosophy revealed

The leaked official drawings of the new Nissan Micra might have revealed the conventional styling of the company’s new supermini, but they gave little clue to the dramatically lightweight new platform that underpins it. The new Micra will be significantly lighter and more fuel efficient than the outgoing car due to a ruthless pursuit of weight reduction on the new V-platform (V = versatile), which on average has slashed 50kg from the new car's weight, and up to 70kg on some models. Project leader Noritaka Tsuru described the new package as a 'breakthrough car' that required a complete 'change in mentality' in how Nissan makes cars.

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.