Denso 234-4172 Oxygen Sensor on 2040-parts.com

CAR tech: who's to blame for your car's terrible fuel economy?

In early 2013 Audi lost a case brought by the Advertising Standard Agency (ASA) because of ‘misleading’ fuel economy figures used in an advert, after a customer complained they couldn’t get anywhere near the 68mpg quoted. The court case once more exposes the yawning gap between officially sanctioned mpg figures and those experienced by owners. A recent study by the Independent Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) looked at cars sold in the UK and Europe, and discovered the difference between official mpg figures and real-world driving had grown from 8% in 2001 to a barely believable 21% in 2011.

Video: Listen to the Alfa 4C rev then watch it hit the track

We haven't heard many complaints about the new Alfa Romeo 4C. So far, kvetching has been limited to the fact that Alfa won't produce too many of them, that they won't be free, and that there's no manual transmission option. Also, the headlights are weird.

Infiniti opens London design studio

Shiro Nakamura, Alfonso Albaisa and Simon Cox have officially opened Infiniti Design London, as Nissan's premium brand becomes fully separated. "We have a clear vision to make Infiniti a key premium brand," said Nakamura, senior VP of design to the assembled press. "Design is a clear defining force." The new studio is adjacent to Nissan Design Europe's base in the Paddington area of London, on the second floor of the protected Battleship Building that also houses Virgin's HQ.