Mini Countryman R60 Base Roof Rack on 2040-parts.com

FCA issues warning on logbook loans

VULNERABLE people who use their car as security to take out a loan are finding themselves squeezed even harder financially and even threatened, the City regulator has found. The Financial Conduct Authority warned it will put firms offering logbook loans out of action if they do not "dramatically" improve their standards, after finding evidence of poor behaviour including little or no affordability checks being carried out and some applicants being encouraged to manipulate details of their income. It said lenders are failing to properly spell out exactly how expensive such debts will be, with the true cost often masked by an emphasis on "low" weekly repayments and key terms and conditions buried in small print.

BMW X7 confirmed – but will it take on the Range Rover?

BMW today confirmed it will produce an all-new X7 model at its Spartanburg, US plant – reinforcing the American factory’s position as BMW’s largest production facility in the world. The new X7 is expected to be a large seven-seat range-topper that will appeal to the US market; it will probably be a rival to the Mercedes-Benz GL – and thus potentially be a premium alternative to the luxury Range Rover. BMW X4 revealed BMW X5 Plug-In Hybrid review (2014 onwards) BMW hasn’t confirmed anything other than the fact it will be ‘larger’ than the X5 and X6.

Le Mans 24-hour race 2010: CAR's guide to the classes

This year, teams are split into two categories: Prototype and Grand Touring. The former are cars created specifically for endurance racing, the latter are homologated from road cars. Each category is then split into two further disciplines – one a higher performance grade, the other slightly lower.