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

New options make Prius pricey

High-tech features and luxury options will push the redesigned Toyota Prius into new territory--namely, $30,000-plus. The 2010 Prius hybrid will offer options found on luxury cars: systems that automatically park the car in a parallel parking space and slow the vehicle when a crash is likely. But Toyota is aware of a new competitor--the 2010 Honda Insight, a hybrid that is a little smaller and expected to be less expensive than the Prius.

GM officially bankrupt

GM finally enters Chapter 11 Bankruptcy The US Government is to provide £30 billion to fund the transition, with GM being split in to ‘Old GM’ and ‘New GM’. In exchange for the money the US Government will take a 60% stake in ‘New GM’ with all the toxic assets and liabilities being disposed of through ‘Old GM’. The restructuring will allow GM to survive on a third less sales than before (10 million instead of 15 million).

New Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV plug-in hybrid goes on sale. Price from £28,249

The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (pictured) goes on sale in the UK The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV arrived at the Paris Motor Show in 2012, and although it’s already available in Europe it’s only now going on sale in the UK. And it does offer a compelling package. Mitsubishi say the Outlander PHEV is the most practical vehicle qualifying for the UK’s £5,000 grant for low emission cars, and instead of charging really silly prices for their new plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi have pitched it so buyers pay no more at entry-level (after the grant) than they would for its diesel equivalent.