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

Audi A1 Sportback concept: first photos

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 01 October 2008 21:35 Audi has whisked the covers off its five-door A1 – in the shape of this A1 Sportback concept car, shown to a few selected media and VIPs on the eve of the Paris motor show 2008. It's a follow-up to 2007's A1 Metroproject quattro concept, which previewed the three-door A1. Audi's new supermini is scheduled to arrive in showrooms in 2010; you can read CAR's full scoop on how the production A1 will look here.We'll have the full story on the new Audi A1 concept in the coming hours, but we can confirm the car's dimensions: at 3990mm long and 1750mm wide, it's actually a size up on BMW's Mini (3699mm/1683mm in One hatchback form).

Hertz Lotus Hire in Italy

Hertz are now offering the Lotus Elise SC for hire in Italy Hertz and Lotus have the answer – drive a Lotus Elise to show the Italians they’re not the only ones to make a cracking two seater (and a lot cheaper). Hertz has teamed up with Lotus to offer a fleet of bright yellow Lotus Elise SC at select outlets throughout Italy from the middle of this month. True to say you could probably have hired yourself a Lotus before to trolly round Italy, but with a big car hire company like Hertz in on the plan you can be pretty sure there will be a lot of takers.

Trouble at Bertone

It was hoped that Bertone would be exhibiting its latest concept, the B.A.T.11, in Geneva this year, a design inspired by the B.A.T.5., B.A.T.7 and B.A.T.9 concepts developed between 1953 and 1955. The car is based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. But after receiving a release from Stile Bertone announcing the prototype on February 13, the company's communications department sent through another email stating that it would not, in fact, be attending the show this year.