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

Tomorrow's world: Ford's downsized 1.0-litre Ecoboost

Direct injection petrol and diesel, hybridisation, downsizing, turbocharging, twin-charging the list of efficiency-boosting, fuel saving features being offered in new cars is becoming so long, buying a new one is like revising for exams. Is there room for another? Apparently so, but since there’s no official name for it yet we’ll call it ‘super-downsizing’ or in other words, using a very small engine in a not so small car.

2014 Subaru XV – less choice, more refinement

The 2014 Subaru XV (pictured) gets a bit of a tweak The Subaru XV arrived in the UK in 2012, and it’s a perfectly able and reasonably-priced compact crossover from Subaru. But within a year of launching the XV Subaru decided to inject a bit more appeal in to the XV with a price cut of £2,300 across the range and now, not more than six months later, they’re fiddling with the XV range again. The 2.0 litre petrol XV gets new valve-train components to cut engine noise and revised suspension, with extra soundproofing improving NVH levels across the range, a revised power steering system for added stability and feel  and thicker and reshaped suspension lower arm and extra reinforcement around the base of the A-Pillar for better crash performance.

Cameras to catch illegal parking on the school run

Schools and councils across the country are turning to CCTV to enforce parking restrictions during the school run – and a new low-cost camera system is set to make this even easier in the coming months. According to reports in the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail, the new surveillance system costs as little as £16,000, and is able to record and recognise the number plates of illegally parked cars outside schools. On Bing: see pictures of parking enforcement cameras How to appeal a parking ticket The recorded footage is then sent to the local council, including evidence of the parking restriction.