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

Vauxhall Corsa now gets 85.6 mpg

The Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX Start/Stop now achieves 85.6mpg with emissions of just 88g/km.  The Vauxhall Corsa –  and, for that matter, the Opel Corsa – has been revealed as the most economical car ever built by GM Europe after a series of tweaks has cut its already impressive fuel consumption. The Corsa 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX Start-Stop )which, fortunately, isn’t emblazoned on the boot lid in full) can now squeeze 85.6 miles out of every gallon of diesel, which means emissions drop to just 88g/km. Vauxhall has had yet another play with their 1.3 litre diesel and fitted a variable displacement oil pump that delivered pressure to suit the load, had a tweak with the Corsa’s brain and filled low-viscosity oil in the gearbox  The result is in improvement of 7 per cent in economy over the current Corsa.

Who's Where: Gerry McGovern to head Land Rover design

Land Rover has announced that Gerry McGovern will take over as Design Director for all Land Rover design with immediate effect. Current Design Director, Geoff Upex, is to retire from the company at the end of 2006 after 23 years service and, to ensure a smooth handover, will continue to play a key role in the launch of new products including the all-new Freelander2/LR2 over the coming months. Gerry McGovern has been Director, Advanced Design, Land Rover, since 2004 and has spent the majority of his career with Land Rover and Rover Group in UK, apart from a short period with Lincoln-Mercury in the USA.

Skoda Octavia for under £11k

Skoda Octavia for under £11k If we told you a place where you could grab a brand new VW Golf for £10,995 it’d grab your attention, right? And if we told you that not only was it a brand spanking new Golf, but it came with alloys, touch-screen stereo with CD changer, AirCon, electric windows and electric door mirrors, would that make it even more appealing? This brand new Golf is powered along by a perfectly decent 101bhp, 1.6 litre petrol lump which, although not the pick of the range, is a perfectly good lump with acceptable performance and economy.