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

Hyundai ix35 Review (2012): Premium 1.7 CRDi 2WD

We have Hyundai’s impressive looking ix35 compact SUV come crossover in for a week for review in 2WD guise with Premium trim and the 1.7 CRDi engine. We’ve wittered on endlessly about how impressive Hyundai’s efforts have become in the last few years; from Halford’s special to credible alternative in less time than it takes from one Olympic games to the next. But it’s one thing turning small, budget family cars in to real competition for the established market leaders, but is it a stretch too far to think Hyundai can take on the might of car makers like Ford and VW in the compact SUV market?

Mini Roadster (2012) first official pictures

This is the new Mini Roadster - a second convertible for those who find the Mini Convertible a bit too pedestrian. The new Mini Roadster is based on the Coupe, meaning a different rear deck and - with the roof folded - no more pram-like hood antics stacked on top of the boot. The rear end is pleasingly flush.

EV maker Coda trims staff

Not much more could go wrong for electric-car maker Coda, which has struggled to sell its four-door EV in the United States since officially launching it here in March. But Web reports, first seen at www.plugincars.com, say the company laid off 50 employees, or 15 percent of its workforce, last week, mostly in the sales and marketing departments. Efforts by Autoweek to contact Coda have not been successful.