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

First Sight: Mini

The first 'New' Mini was launched just five years ago, replacing the original Mini that had changed only in detail since its 1959 debut. Designed by Frank Stephenson, now head of design at Fiat, the current design has been a sales success and most significantly has been very influential in demonstrating how small cars need not be explicitly functionalist, smaller versions of larger car types or feel cheap. The new 'New' Mini, designed under the direction of Gert Hildebrand at Mini, is announced today with exterior design by Marcus Syring, interior design by Marc Girard and colour and trim design by Annette Baumeister.

Volvo V40 Review: D3 SE Nav (2012)

This week we have Volvo’s very promising new V40 in for review and test in the guise of the V40 D3 SE Nav manual. For perhaps the first time, Volvo are offering a serious alternative to cars like the BMW 1 Series (and the new Mercedes A Class) with the V40. Certainly on all the things that grab the headlines – looks, performance and equipment – the V40 seems to be a very credible effort from Volvo.

New Audi A2 EV Concept – first photos arrive

New Audi A2 EV Concept - first photos It wouldn’t be a car show without yet another electric car concept from Audi. The difference at Frankfurt is that the already teased EV from Audi isn’t another in the seemingly endless iteration of e-Tron, instead we’re to get an electric car with a proper Audi tag – the Audi A2 Concept EV. The shame is that Audi seem to have abandoned the range extender route they displayed with the Audi A1 e-Tron – a small Wankel engine in the boot to charge the batteries – and have instead gone down the costly cul-de-sac of a pure EV in the A2.