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

Car makers to be forced to disclaim ‘Official’ economy figures

We’ve banged on for a long time about the futility of official economy figures, especially as car makers get better and better at ‘gaming’ the official economy tests to produce the results they want. Much of the impetus to create the best headline economy figure for a car is driven by taxation, with car makers well aware that the better the official economy results are, the lower their CO2 will be (CO2 isn’t tested for – it’s just extrapolated from the official mpg) and the more appealing the car will be to buyers, particularly fleet buyers. But a ruling by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) against Audi could at least see car makers having to admit in their adverts that the ‘official’ economy figure bears no relation to what owners can expect to achieve in the real world.

Porsche specialist Gemballa gets Tornado ready to blow

Gemballa has a reputation for producing extreme versions of Porsche models. From the 997 based Avalanche to the Carrera GT based Mirage, all the Gemballa models offer extremes of performance and design. And now there’s a new model to add to the list.

BMW 328 Hommage concept headed to Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este at Lake Como

BMW has a history that is nearly unparalleled, and in celebration of the German company's unique blend of luxury and sport, it will showcase a tribute concept called the 328 Hommage this weekend at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. The 328 Hommage will employ a straight six-cylinder powerplant and the familiar kidney-shaped BMW grille stretched upright in dramatic fashion. The interior and exterior make heavy use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and there are no doors--just deep recesses.