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

Renault Gordini back

The old Clio Renaultsport with a 1965 Renault Gordini 8 I think you’ll probably have to be over 40 – or a Renault nut – to have any knowledge of the Renault Gordini. But you’re soon going to be a bit more knowledgeable if reports that Renault are about to revive the Gordini name are true. There have been rumours for quite a while that Renault want to use the Gordini name on their ‘Sporty’ cars in the same way that BMW has used the Cooper name on MINIs and Fiat the Abarth name.

Think a sports car makes you more attractive? Think again

It’s a favourite stereotype: a man driving a flashy sports car is more attractive to women – or at least, so he might think. Now a survey by Motors.co.uk suggests that exactly the opposite could be true. While the same research reckons 48% of men subscribe to the stereotyped view, in actual fact women are more likely to find a man driving an eco car more alluring.

Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid – again

Volvo V60 Plug-in Diesel Hybrid Last month we reported on the innovative Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid, a proper advance in hybrid gubbins which Volvo are planning on revealing – in practically production-ready form – at next weeks Geneva Motor Show. We first reported Volvo’s intention to bring a diesel hybrid to market by 2012 back in 2009, and the story we ran at the end of January was confirmation of that. But now Volvo has churned out a chunky press release to tell us exactly what the V60 plug-in hybrid will offer, so we thought we ought to revisit this story one more time before Geneva.