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

Driven: Mini Countryman

There has been no more contentious a car launched this year than the Mini Countryman. It's been labeled by some as sacrilegious to the very essence of the Mini brand, of 'selling out' and, yes, of being ugly. But does the concept of a four-meter Mini translate to use in the real world?

Audi RS Q3 (2013) first official pictures

Audi's applied the RS badge to a soft-roader for the first time: this is the RS Q3. Using a slightly detuned TTRS engine, the RS Q3 puts 306bhp and 307lb ft through all four wheels, via a standard-fit dual-clutch gearbox Audi RS Q3: the powertrain spec The petrol-fuelled 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine is related to the TTRS five-pot, but here it's developing 306bhp rather than 335bhp. Maximum torque is on tap from 1500rpm to 4200rpm.

Porsche says Panamera avoids gas-guzzler tax

Few expenses were spared in conceiving the Porsche Panamera, but consumers will avoid at least one cost of ownership: the ignominious gas-guzzler tax. Porsche has announced ratings for the 2010 sedan; it will get a combined figure of 18 mpg or 19 mpg from the EPA, depending on the model. This means Porsche’s four-door foray will avoid a fairly substantial cost of ownership--a tax of up to $7,700 is levied on the most prolific guzzlers.