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

Chevy Cruze Diesel: As torquey as a classic Camaro?

From the Department Of Silly Press Releases comes this missive from deep within the bowels of the Renaissance Center, Junior Wool-Pulling Division, located next to the Quizno's. "Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel Delivers Classic Muscle Car Torque," it reads, and while torque is the Great Equalizer of the continued championing of the diesel engine, comparing it to the sturm und drang of launching a 1972 Camaro Z28 from the parking lot of the Hendersonville, Tenn., Shoney's is tantamount to the sort of blasphemy that gets people excommunicated. For the record, the Chevrolet Cruze Diesel's 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine produces 264 lb-ft of torque, more than the Volkswagen Jetta TDI's at 236 lb-ft.

Lotus Exige S Roadster Official: Price (£52,800) and Specs

It’s the first properly good news from Lotus for a while, and looks a promising offering at the same price (£52,800) as the tin top Exige S and, remarkably for a convertible, actually weighing less than the hard top – although by only 10kg. The Exige S Roadster gets the same 3.5 litre V6 as the coupe which means 345bhp, 295lb/ft of torque and a 0-60mph of a very respectable 3.8 seconds, but it does lose the coupe’s rear wing and front splitter for better airflow. The folding roof on the Roadster is a manual affair, but Lotus say fresh air motoring is just ‘Two clicks and a roll away’, so the manual roof is probably the best – and lightest – option.

New Audi Q3 2.0 TDI quattro entry-level 4WD Q3

Audi has added a new entry-level quattro model to the Q3 range – the Q3 2.0 TDI quattro 140PS – expecetd to account for 40 per cent of Q3 sales. So you’ve been put of buying an Audi Q3 because you couldn’t have 4wd quattro on a 140PS 2.0 litre TDI? No problem, as Audi has now fixed that thorny little issue with the release of the Audi Q3 2.0 TDI quattro 140PS, fitting Audi’s lower powered diesel to offer a more frugal Q3.