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

Anxious parents back tougher learner driver rules

PARENTS of young people are anxious about their offspring driving - with nearly three quarters in favour of probationary licences being given to new drivers. In a survey conducted ahead of the Government Green Paper on improving young drivers' safety, 82% of those questioned said the thought of their child driving on British roads made them feel anxious. A total of 60% said that was because of their lack of experience.

Ford at CES: Charge your car with science and wash your dishes while you sleep

Ford's C-Max Solar Energy Concept is a "plugless plugin," said Donna Bell, which initially sounds silly -- as if the carefully structured chaos and noise of CES may have finally gotten to her. But as someone who has been managing Ford's electric vehicle infrastructure for the past 20 years, she isn't being facetious. Solar panels on the roof of a car aren't anything new -- the Fisker Karma used them to power the radio and other in-car accessories, to cite a soon-obscure example.

2014 Audi R8 priced at $119,150

The 2014 Audi R8 goes on sale Friday at the low, low price of $119,150 -- including destination and gas guzzler -- when equipped with the manual transmission. The S-Tronic-equipped version ups the price to $128,250. The base Audi R8 makes 430 hp and 316 lb-ft of torque from its 4.2-liter V8.