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

Can't afford a supercar? Rent one

ALONGSIDE more mainstream offerings such as Fiestas and Astras, rental company Hertz is now offering a taste of the high life across Europe by adding a selection of high performance and luxury cars to its fleet. Arguably the most eye-catching additions are the McLaren 12C and the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, two cars costing in excess of £175,000 to purchase new and both capable of over 205mph. Other additions to the fleet include the Porsche Cayman sports coupe and the Cayenne SUV, plus luxury cars such as BMW X6 and Range Rover Sport.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron price and specs – costs £34,950

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (pictured) costs £34,950 If governments are going to base car taxation on Co2 emissions, then car makers are going to build cars that ‘game’ the official tests. A perfect example of which is the new Audi A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid. It’s expensive at £34,950 (although the government bribe for plug-ins does drop the price you pay to £29,950), but thanks to its ‘up to 31 miles’ range on battery power only it comes complete with official economy of 176.6 mpg and emissions of 37g/km.

Acura's bargain birth introduced Japanese luxury to the U.S. 25 years ago

The idea seemed almost ludicrous to Tom Elliott back in 1982, but there it was, in black and white, on Honda Motor Co.'s strategic product plan. Elliott's bosses in Japan had decided to sell a car priced at more than $20,000 in the United States, taking the Japanese brand dramatically upscale. And Elliott, Honda's U.S.