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

SCARCITY OF ECO CARS KEEPS VALUES HIGH

ACCORDING to the latest AA Fuel Price Index, petrol prices rose in January by the biggest amount in recent times. Although there is considerable Government lobbying to slow down fuel price rises, there appears to be no immediate respite for private motorists. With this continued pressure on family finances, leading vehicle auction company, British Car Auctions (BCA) is seeing a significant increase in buyers seeking the most fuel efficient vehicles which, in turn, is pushing up prices at auction.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron price and specs – costs £34,950

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (pictured) costs £34,950 If governments are going to base car taxation on Co2 emissions, then car makers are going to build cars that ‘game’ the official tests. A perfect example of which is the new Audi A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid. It’s expensive at £34,950 (although the government bribe for plug-ins does drop the price you pay to £29,950), but thanks to its ‘up to 31 miles’ range on battery power only it comes complete with official economy of 176.6 mpg and emissions of 37g/km.

Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.