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

The Britalian Job: MINI remakes the Italian Job for London 2012

MINI has done a remake of the Italian Job – dubbed the ‘Britalian Job – to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics. MINI always turns up interesting promo videos (not always good, but always interesting) so with BMW sponsoring the London 2012 Olympics it’s no surprise they’ve had their camcorders out. The result is something MINI are calling the ‘Britalian Job’, an homage to the classic 1960s Italian Job with the original Mini and starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward (and Benny Hill), although in truth it’s more like an homage to the later version with Charlize Theron.

Jaguar & me: high-maintenance love

In a fit of madness a few years ago, and seeking solace from impending divorce at the time, I purchased a gorgeous blue Series III XJ6, with wonderful dark blue leather upholstery, that was at the time about five years old. Just 40,000 miles on the clock. I then drove the hell out of it for three years to 100,000 miles and it never let me down once – on the road that is.

New Lexus IS 300h, LF-LC and Lexus F-Sport all at 2013 Geneva Motor Show

We’ll get to see the new Lexus IS 300h at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show together with an Opal Blue LF-CC and extended F Sport range. Probably of most interest – because we’ve not seen it in Europe yet, is the new Lexus IS 300h, the hybrid version of the 2013 Lexus IS – revealed at Detroit last month – which Lexus hope will pick up sales from the diesel competition. Lexus will be adding the F Sport trim to the IS 300h too to show that their cars can look as dynamic as those from Audi’s S Line, Mercedes’ AMG or BMW’s M Sport which, with an expected output of around 220bhp from the electric motor and 2.5 litre engine, isn’t all that incongruous.