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

Compulsory emissions laws leaked to CAR Online

By Tim Pollard Motoring Issues 23 January 2007 05:53 Every performance car, MPV and large saloon on sale today is under threat from proposed legislation limiting CO2 emissions to an average of 120g/km by 2012, CAR Online has learned. EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas is expected to announce the shock new directive in the next few days - it's designed to force companies to meet tough targets or face big fines. CAR Online has uncovered details of the proposals before they are published.

Gronholm makes explosive debut at Pikes Peak

By Alex Michaelides Motor Shows 24 July 2009 11:55 Finnish rally ace Marcus Gronholm averted disaster to make a promising debut at the 2009 Pikes Peak international hillclimb. The world rally champion’s attempt was severely hampered when the rear tyre of his Ford Fiesta exploded, forcing him to limp home to a still-respectable fifth position in a time of 11min 28.963sec. Japanese rally star Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima claimed first prize in his Suzuki SX4 with a time of 10min 15.368sec.

Watch the sad, final moments of a crusher-bound heap

Automotive wrecking yards are good places to reflect on the real-world values of heavily depreciated vehicles versus global current scrap-metal prices, and to see which cars have suddenly had the fix-it-versus-total-it line moved by insurance companies (the early-21st-century Subaru Legacy Outback, for example, appeared in large numbers in high-turnover wrecking yards just during the last year, as fairly minor collision damage on these cars is no longer worth fixing). You'll see the things that a car's last owner does in a desperate attempt to sell (or at least live with) an increasingly decrepit heap (as we learned in "Repo Man," you really will find a Little Tree in every car). During a recent trip to a San Jose, Calif., yard, I encountered this sad yet strangely compelling scene.