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

Keeping Shelby alive

Carroll Shelby, the wild-spirited 89-year-old racing icon and king of thundering garage hot rods, lay on his deathbed last May struggling to talk. He urged his younger friend and business partner John Luft to lean closer. "Keep Shelby American alive," Shelby strained to tell Luft in his final hours.

Road drainage problems increasing

ROAD DRAINAGE during the mid-summer heatwave was no better than in the early-year floods, according to 40% of drivers. A further 9% said drainage in June was even worse than during the winter downpours, the AA/Populus survey of more than 18,000 AA members showed. Most dissatisfaction with the state of the roads in mid-summer was shown by drivers in Yorkshire and Humberside, with 46% of them reckoning drainage was no better than during the winter.

Geneva Show 2014: High Performance XF Wagon Roars Into Geneva

ORIGINALLY launched as a luxurious but sensible premium estate car, it was always a matter of when not if the stylish XF Sportbrake would receive Jaguar’s famed high performance makeover. The Brit car maker has exceeded expectations, as the newly christened XFR-S Sportbrake packs a considerable 542 horsepower from a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine. Tweaks to the regular car’s suspension, steering and transmission help it reach 60mph from rest in a blistering 4.6 seconds and top out at an electronically limited 186mph.