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

BMW 7-series facelift (2012) first pictures

BMW has given the 7-series the mildest of mid-life facelifts for 2012 – with a series of cosmetic tidy-ups, fettled engines, extra kit and the UK's first hybrid 7-series. The ActiveHybrid7 isn't the most expensive 7-series (that's the 760Li at £101,805), but at £66,040 the petrol-electric saloon is some £8k pricier than the biggest-selling 730d. As the diesel is also cleaner and more economical, we suspect the hybrid Seven will remain a niche seller over here.

Bentley uses 3D printing to prototype new designs [w/Video]

3D printing is changing the way the world makes things by helping people of all disciplines to enhance and refine their ideas cheaply, quickly and effectively.  Bentley is the latest carmaker to utilize the technology to fabricate and prototype different parts to see how they'll look and work on the finished design. Using 3D printers, designers can produce parts from the exterior and interior such as the grille, tires, headlamps and door handles as well as combine different types of contrasting materials, ranging from hard plastics to rubbers of different tensile strengths.  The technology allows the user to create a solid 3D object straight from a digital model by printing layers of material on top of each other. This process rapidly decreases the delivery time, as parts can be printed overnight, and allows designers to be more creative in their ideas because of the reduced cost. Bentley isn't the first carmaker to use 3D printing technology. Audi announced last year it was beginning to prototype vehicle parts using 3D printers.

UK commuters spend 10 days a year in traffic

We’re now wasting more time stuck in traffic than ever before, as last year the average car journey took 27% longer than it would have done if the road was clear. That’s a rise of 1% compared to 2012, while the report by TomTom also found that 10 of the UK’s biggest cities now have more congestion than they did 12 months ago. Europe’s top 10 most congested cities Fewer people commuting but distances on the up London, Brighton, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Belfast and Southampton have all seen traffic levels increase, while Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Glasgow failed to improve.