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

2014 BMW X3 Facelift and more efficient engines

The 2014 BMW X3 (pictured) gets a facelift and new engines The current version of the BMW X3 SUV has been with us for more than three years, so BMW are giving it a bit of a mid-cycle facelift and more frugal engines to keep the X3 on top of its – very successful – game. Engines on offer for the 2014 X3 include the 2.0 litre diesel in the sDrive18d which offers 148bhp and 56.8mpg and the 187bhp in the X3 xDrive20d which returns 52.3mpg, the xDrive30d – which gets the 3.0 litre diesel unit – with 254bhp and 47.9mpg and the X3 xDrive35 which has an impressive 309bhp but still manages official economy of 47.1mpg. When it comes to the cosmetic facelift bits, BMW hasn’t really pushed the boat out, but the new X3 does get a new headlight design which is sleeker, new front and rear bumpers and a new surround for the kidney grill, which all contrive to make the new X3 look even more like a baby X5.

Nissan LEAF gets 5 Star Euro NCAP

Nissan LEAF - first electric car to get5 a 5 Star NCAP rating We moan about the Nissan LEAF. But only because it’s an inferior product to the cars we already enjoy, and at an inflated price. But we’ve never said it was a bad car.

Porsche 918 Spyder races toward production

OK, let's put the usual arguments to rest first: The Porsche 918 Spyder is going to be even faster than the Carrera GT in a straight line. That's based on Porsche's own computer simulations in anticipation of the production version of the gasoline-electric-powered 918 Spyder, which is due to roll off a dedicated line within a decommissioned paint shop at Porsche's Zuffenhausen, Germany, headquarters next year. The claimed 0-to-62-mph time is 2.8 seconds; 0-to-124 mph is 8.9 seconds, and top speed should be about 202 mph, thanks in part to series of active aerodynamic functions, including a multistage rear wing.