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

The fall and rise of the budget car

Twenty years ago, the classic bargain brands like Lada seemed to be going the same way as the Soviet empire that spawned them. Woefully dated and badly made, only a weirdo would have bought a new Lada rather than a second-hand model from Ford, Vauxhall or VW. However, one of the big trends in the car industry today is the re-emergence of bargain cars.

Filson outfits the AEV Brute

The AEV Brute, a Jeep Wrangler stretched and turned into a four-door pickup by American Expedition Vehicles, already has so much going for it that we could hardly imagine how it could be improved upon. AEV was already famous for offering a wide variety of off-roading equipment before the debut of the well-received Brute double-cab pickup, a bespoke truck in the spirit of the Jeep Gladiator and the Land Rover Defender 130. Filson The Filson version features the 6.4-liter V8 instead of the V6.

Car spending 'more than holidays'

NEARLY HALF of drivers in the UK spend more disposable income on their car than anything else, according to a survey. Spending on cars (47%) easily outweighs the amount spent on holidays (21%) and socialising with friends (13%), the poll from Halfords Autocentres showed. But the survey also found that 10% of drivers were cutting back on car maintenance to save money.