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

Ford drives the Peel P50 in to the new Transit – and turns it around

The Peel P50 drives in to the new Ford Transit The new Ford Transit offers lots of room for ‘Stuff’, something Ford decided to demonstrate by enlisting the world’s smallest car to demonstrate. It may be simply a take on Jeremy Clarkson’s games with the Peel in and around the BBC Television Centre – and you don’t get John Humphries driving the Peel or Fiona Bruce (and her bottom) pushing it back out – but you do get a good idea of just how big the new Transit is. We’re not entirely sure that turning the Peel around in the Transit – and yes, this Peel is fitted with a reverse gear, unlike Clarkson’s – demonstrates the Transit is any bigger than just driving in and driving out would, but the endless faffing to achieve an about turn is an excuse to use some Benny Hill-esque music to pass the time.

At the Detroit Auto Show, Lincoln gets a C

Hoping to attract younger buyers, Ford's Lincoln division unveiled the Lincoln C concept at the Detroit Auto Show this week, a car Lincoln calls a big idea for a small luxury car. Ford's vision: a small, more fuel-efficient car for congested urban areas and compact parking spaces that still provides driver and passengers with luxury and comfort of larger sedans. "Modern luxury buyers who live and work in large, urban areas want to play their part in helping the environment by moving to a smaller vehicle, but they still want to enjoy the luxuries of life," said Peter Horbury, executive director of Design, The Americas.

Weather still causing commuter chaos

COMMUTERS had a miserable return to work today as bad weather continued to cause havoc to road travel. A number of major road routes were affected by flooding or by fallen trees, while one lane was closed on the M48 Severn Bridge due to strong winds and a section of the M77 in Glasgow was closed because of flooding. A landslip at Hawick on the Scottish Borders led to hold-ups on the A7, while a section of the A36 in Hampshire was closed due to a fallen tree and fallen power cables.