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

Do Winter Tyres REALLY work? Oh, yes, say Volvo (+ video)

Volvo prove how effective Winter Tyres are in the Snowdome For some reason, the debate on fitting winter tyres in the UK continues to be a debate, even when those who’ve actually used a car fitted with winter tyres swear by them (an argument not helped by previous government advice). So Volvo – safety conscious as ever – decided to prove the point by taking the very good Volvo V40 off to the Snowdome indoor ski slope in Tamworth to see exactly what difference a set of winter tyres makes to the grip available in a regular, FWD, family Volvo. And the results should make every car owner go out and fit winter tyres.

The anti-drink-drive car

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 03 August 2007 02:25 Nissan today unveiled its answer to drink-driving: the car that monitors the driver's alcohol level before every journey and stops you if you're about to break the law. Boffins at the Japanese firm have equipped a domestic market Fuga with monitoring equipment that can spot if a driver has been boozing. It's so sophisticated, engineers claim it can differentiate between perfume (which often contains alcohol) and tell if it's the driver or the passengers that have been drinking.

BMW X5 (F15)

This is the new, third generation BMW X5, the biggest-selling SUV in its segment with over 1.3 million sold since the first was launched in 1999. While the previous versions have sat more in the high-riding wagon space (BMW prefers to call them Sports Activity Vehicles), this latest F15 model appears to have shifted closer to a more traditional SUV, appearing taller and less ‘squat', certainly than the car it replaces. This is partly due to the DLO, which dips down behind the A-pillar, creating a deep window.