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

Goodwood Revival 2009: the first details

By Freddie Fulton Motor Shows 10 August 2009 14:22 Mini turned 50 recently, and the celebration of its engineering achievements continues at the Goodwood Revival in September 2009.  Huge numbers of pre-1966 Minis are expected on track, bringing their owners and large numbers of enthusiasts with them.  Champions and role models such as five-time winner of Le Mans Derek Bell will be racing, as well as Jackie Oliver, Bobby Rahal, Anthony Reid and Brian Redman.  You can also hope to see ‘The Rally Professor,’ Rauno Aaltonen, who won the Gallaher 500 touring car races in a Mini Cooper S.  Other Mini legends will include Sir John Whitmore, Alec Poole, Warwick Banks, John Fitzpatrick, Richard Longman and Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams.  We at CAR are most looking forward to when a full 30-car grid, largely composed of 1275cc Mini Coopers, will compete in a race that is promised to be ‘the most closely fought race in the Revival’s history.’ That’ll be the St Mary’s Trophy saloon car race packed with cars that raced before 1966. Each day, a tribute parade of Minis will lap the circuit and show off some of their retro glory.  Expect some Mini curios: an ice cream van is expected, as well as a Wildgoose camping Mini and other modified models. Some of these ‘Mini cousins’ will include the ‘Riley Elf’ and ‘Wolseley Hornet’ variants, which are noted for their reshaped boots and narrower front grilles.

Mercedes E300 BlueTEC Hybrid and E400 Hybrid Detroit debut

Mercedes E300 BlueTEC Hybrid Mercedes has revealed a pair of hybrid E-Class cars bound for a Detroit debut – the E300 BlueTec hybrid for Europe and E400 Hybrid for the US. All car maker are busy introducing hybrid platforms where they can, especially for their big-selling cars, and MB is no different, with a pair of new Mercedes Hybrid cars bound for a debut at next month’s Detroit Auto Show. The Mercedes E300 BlueTec Hybrid is the offering for Europe, although it wouldn’t be a huge shock if Mercedes eventually launched it in the US.

New Ford Kuga: Titanium and Titanium X make up 87% of sales

The new Ford Kuga is now hitting UK showrooms, and Ford has revealed that 87% of buyers are opting for the range-topping Titanium and Titanium X models. But what’s most interesting – in what is supposed to be a cash-strapped economy – is that a full 87 per cent of all the new Kugas ordered so far have been the range-topping Titanium and Titanium X models, and the average up-spend on options is another £1,000 on top of that. That means that although the Ford Kuga range starts at £21,000, 87 per cent of buyers are actually spending between £25-30k on their new compact SUV, which must warm the cockles of Ford’s heart.