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

Mini factory celebrates its 100th birthday

A bastion of the British car-building industry, Mini’s ‘Plant Oxford’ in Cowley, Oxford celebrates 100 years of building cars today (28 March 2013). Currently responsible for producing the second-gen BMW Mini range, Plant Oxford has been the birthplace more than just trendy city cars: it’s stamped out over 11.5 million cars since 1913, including legend like the Morris Minor and Frogeye Sprite, and clunkers like the Morris Marina. It also contributed to the war effort by repairing damaged RAF fighter aircraft during the Second World War.

Bank holiday travellers face delays

DRIVERS will face congested roads as millions move off on a bank holiday weekend promising to be a mixture of sunshine and showers. The Highways Agency has completed a number of roadworks and suspended others over the holiday, but works remain on some key routes. The AA and traffic information company Trafficmaster have predicted that as many as 17 million cars could take to the roads over the weekend, with numbers swelled by a series of sporting events, music festivals and air shows.

Porsche Panamera prices announced

By Ben Pulman Motor Industry 12 March 2009 12:50 Porsche has announced UK prices for its Panamera, and that all PDK-equipped cars will come with stop-start technology - the ‘entry-level’ S starts at £72,266, rising to £95,298 for the range-topping Panamera Turbo. By comparison, a Cayenne GTS is £54,085 and a Cayenne Turbo is £75,137 For a start there’s the 493bhp twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 mated to Porsche’s four-wheel drive system and seven-speed double-clutch PDK gearbox. Then there are also 19-inch wheels, adaptive air suspension, a 14-speaker Bose sound system, metallic paint, heated front and rear seats and a multi-functional steering wheel.