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

Electric cars must get noisier, ICE cars must get quieter

Electric cars will have to make a noise to protect pedestrians It’s four years since the Lotus solution for making electric cars noisy raised its head, since when the US has had a go at the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act in 2010 to do the same thing, the Japanese are playing too, and Toyota revealed the Prius Vehicle Notification System, and now the EU has decided its time to act to make EVs emit ‘noise’. Despite the most appealing part of an EV being that it makes our cities quieter, legislators worry about the blind, partially sighted and distracted pedestrian (think earphones and a Smartphone) being mowed down by a stalking electric car and feel the need to act. So the European Parliament has decided that by 2019 new models of electric vehicle will have to make a noise in cities, and that by 2021 all new hybrids and electrics must be noisy too.

Mini celebrates 50 years since Monte win

IT'S 50 years since the iconic Mini Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally and to mark the occasion the famous car and its driver have been brought back together. Paddy Hopkirk took the Mini to its maiden win on the Monte Carlo Rally, and the car went on to win again in 1965 and 1967. It should also have won in 1966, but it was denied due to a technical infringement with its lights.

Jaguar XKR Speed Pack (2010) first pictures

Jaguar will launch two new styling and performance packs for the 2011 model year XKR coupe at the Geneva motor show. The new XKR Speed Pack and Black Pack lets customers spec up styling accoutrements and raise the top speed from a limited 155mph to 174mph. This Jag XKR does what it says on the tin, unleashing the potential of the 503bhp/461lb ft supercharged V8 for a £3500 supplement.