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

Citroen Cactus stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Citroen's big news at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show was the launch of the Cactus concept car. This spikily named show car is more than just a wacky concept - the Citroen Cactus marks the relaunch of the French brand's bread-and-butter cars. Struck by the success of the DS models, it's now hoping to achieve similar success with a rejuvenated range of C-line models.

Design Services: Car Menu launched

Within almost every automotive design department throughout the world, their comes a time when a junior designer is dispatched to find a picture of some new model's tail lamp, the side view of a particular class leading competitor or examples of several new cars' colour and trim packages. Whilst looking at the competition is not necessarily a healthy way of finding ideas, it is often essential to demonstrate what is feasible, check in-house proposals are not too derivative, or show how advanced a design theme is relative to the same type of cars on the market. But even if the particular aspect of a car can be found, press packs and magazines typically show cars in the flattering light of an exotic location or being drifted around a corner on opposite lock; rarely are these images particularly useful.

Road funding must increase, say MPs

THERE needs to be a big increase in Government funding and a change of approach for England's major road network if predicted traffic increases are correct, according to MPs. But any move towards using road charging to pay for the extra funding couldn't be achieved without broad agreement among politicians and motorists, said the House of Commons Transport Committee. In a report the committee added that it was "not convinced" by the case for establishing the Highways Agency, the body responsible for England's motorways and major A-roads, as a Government-owned company.