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

High-five for Mini's new, larger hatchback

THE LONG-RUMOURED five-door Mini hatchback has finally been unveiled, featuring an extra seat, more legroom and a larger boot than the three-door. By using a longer and wider body, the five-door is able to offer 72mm more legroom for rear passengers, who can also now access the new row of three seats via small but useful rear doors. Boot space is up to 278 litres, which although still comparatively low is 67 more than the three-door hatch can boast.

Ownership costs of traditional versus alternative fuel vehicles

As gas prices remain high, and an increasing number of automakers roll out plug-in hybrid cars and full-electric vehicles, it's becoming easier to be tantalized with the idea of driving right past the gas station and simply "plugging in." The debate ensues when it comes to cost: These alternative fuel vehicles mean a larger outlay of cash at the onset, but the long-term fuel savings could make the purchase worthwhile. To help straighten out this numbers game, we use the Department of Energy's Vehicle Cost Calculator to compare alternative fuel vehicles with their gasoline-only counterparts. For each scenario, we assumed that our hypothetical owner was able to get the full $7,500 federal tax credit and a $2,500 state tax credit, such as is available in California.

Asda sparks new fuel price cuts

SUPERMARKET Asda has sparked a likely petrol price war by announcing further cuts. Asda said that drivers filling up at its forecourts from tomorrow (Wednesday) will pay no more than 126.7p a litre for petrol, with diesel priced at 133.7p. Jeremy Walton, head of petrol trading at Asda, said: "Our shoppers don't have to figure out complicated deals and collect vouchers to get the best price; they simply pay what they see at the pump.