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

UK has 'highest car running costs'

THE UK is the most expensive country in the world for running a car, according to a new survey. Comparing the cost of fuel, insurance, road tax and MOT, on average it costs the UK motorist £3,453 a year, which is £1,000 more than in the USA and Australia, £1,825 than Japan and a full £2,000 more than in China. The survey, conducted by Webuyanycar.com, compared the cost of motoring in 21 countries on five continents, and revealed that on many fronts the UK motorist is paying more than anyone else.

Dacia Lodgy

Renault's budget brand, Dacia, is set to further its position as Europe's fastest growing automotive manufacturer with the introduction of the Lodgy. The five- or seven-seat MPV will be introduced at the forthcoming Geneva motorshow and promises to offer the brand's trademark qualities of value for money and robustness. Externally, there are visual links between the Lodgy and the products of its parent company, with the car sharing a similar silhouette to the Grand Scenic.

One Lap of the Web: DTM racing set to music, top Hollywood cars and the Porsche 928

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- The Smoking Tire offers up a video summary of the entire DTM season set to music in what they're calling the video equivalent of Beluga caviar served in a Faberg