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Audi R18 TDI dominates Le Mans 2011 test day

Le Mans echoed to the sound of racing cars on Easter Sunday as teams took part in the sole scheduled test day, and Audi's new R18 coupe dominated the LMP1 class. Le Mans 2011: classes and rules changes The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the organisers of the annual 24-hour race, made several changes to the competition classes and technical specifications for Le Mans 2011, aimed at reducing costs, raising lap times and ending the dominance of turbodiesel endurance racers. Out went V10 and V12 engines in the LMP1 (Le Mans Prototype) class, and in came new capacity limits for all engines, intake restrictors and lower turbo boost limits on existing turbodiesels. Naturally aspirated petrols units are now limited to 3.4-litres, turbo'd petrols can be no bigger than 2.0, and turbodiesels are restricted to 3.7-litres.

56% of drivers 'underestimated car expense'

MORE THAN half of people who have bought a second-hand car in the last two years have found it more expensive to run than they expected, according to a Government-backed body. Some 56% of motorists said that total cost, including maintenance, repairs, insurance and fuel had turned out to be higher than anticipated and one in five drivers (20%) have resorted to going into debt just to keep their vehicle on the road, the Money Advice Service (MAS) found. One in four (26%) of the 3,000 people surveyed who have bought a second-hand car since 2012 now has regrets about their purchase, with many of them saying they had not worked out whether it was really affordable or that the purchase price was too much in the first place.

EU cuts Co2 Targets to help Euro car makers

In an astonishing outbreak of common sense, EU negotiators last night agreed a deal to ease the draconian Co2 targets for EU car manufacturers. Originally, EU car makers had to meet the new regulations by 2012, but have now won a concession to hit 65% of target by 2012, 75% by 2013, 80% by 2014 and 100% by 2015. This scaling back of the targets was achieved after Germany objected to the original proposals.