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

Renault revives Gordini hot hatch brand

Renault is to revive the Gordini name, using it on range-topping versions of its Renaultsport Twingo, Clio and Megane hot hatches. The first new-generation Gordini will be based on the Renaultsport Twingo 133, and be unveiled on 25 November 2009 at Renault's premier showroom on the Champs Elysees. The new car will be called the Twingo Gordini RS, and then a Clio Gordini RS will follow in spring 2010.

SEAT Leon X-Perience price & spec – costs from £24,385

The ‘Allroad’ SEAt Leon X-Perience goes on sale. SEAT hasn’t got round to building its first SUV, but the new SEAT Leon X-Perience is a half-way step – for SEAT and its customers – with added butchness and off-road pretensions in a high-riding estate car. SEAT has gone the usual ‘Allroad’ route for the X-Perience by fitting new bumpers, adding skid plates, extra plastic cladding and pumping up the ride height to give an estate that actually looks quite alright and, with 4WD and diff locks, can actually walk some of the walk.

Toyota & Lexus: Hybrid sales in Europe hit 20%

The ‘Green’ evangelists want to get us all driving electric cars to save the planet, but in the real world car drivers want a car that offers them all the practicality of a normal ICE car, but without the penalties of the poor range, high cost and inconvenience of an EV. So, with ever-rising fuel costs, it’s no wonder car buyers are willing to pay a little more for a car that offers better economy at the pumps – which plays straight in to the hands of Hybrid pioneers Toyota. The result is that Toyota and Lexus now see a full 20 per cent of their sale in Europe being hybrid cars in the first quarter of 2013, with sales of hybrid cars up a massive 82 per cent year-on-year.