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

Mini crossover to carry base price of $22,350

Mini's new Countryman crossover will start at $22,350, only $550 more than the three-door Clubman wagon. A well-equipped Countryman in a Cooper S trim with optional all-wheel drive will cost just under $30,000, Jim McDowell, head of Mini USA, said Wednesday during the media launch for the vehicle. The prices include destination charges, Mini said.

Parking ticket issued every four seconds

UK traffic wardens issued a parking ticket every four seconds last year, dishing out a total of 7.8 million in fines and raking in a whopping £255 million from motorists. The figures, obtained through a series of freedom of information requests by Churchill Insurance, found that Westminster City Council issued the equivalent of more than four Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) per resident in 2013, generating an income of £24 million for 455,000 fines. Parking wardens given ‘illegal’ bonus targets How to appeal a parking ticket Outside London, Cardiff issued the most fines at 57,000 – while North Somerset Council generated the most revenue at £2.25 million.

Volkswagen mulls new Phaeton for the US market

Volkswagen is giving some serious thought to bringing back the Phaeton sedan to the U.S., Automotive News reports. We haven't seen the Phaeton since 2006, when it was withdrawn from the North American market after lackluster sales. Built at the same factory as the much more expensive Bentley Continental GT and sharing much of the underlying mechanicals, the Volkswagen Phaeton managed to be a slower seller in the U.S.