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Mechanics qualifications gained using Haynes manuals

MOST MEN enjoy a good Haynes car manual, whether they really understand it or not, but a group of youngsters has used the workshop guides to achieve their first qualifications in car mechanics. The first wave of the Haynes Mechanix scheme has seen a mixed gender youth club group, aged 15-25 and from Islington in London, use Haynes manuals along with guidance from experienced mentors to fix real problems on a real car. The donor Volkswagen, known as Percy the Polo, was a theoretical MOT fail and needed replacement spark plugs, a brake fluid replacement and much more, to give the aspiring tinkerers a broad spectrum of challenges.

Aston Martin and Mercedes 'to strike €300m deal'

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 22 October 2008 21:25 CAR Online today lifts the lid on the secret deal – codenamed Romeo and Juliet – being hammered out between Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz. We have sensational details of the alliance, including a plan for hybrid Aston Martins, the full range of proposed Lagonda models and even a possible DB10 and 4x4 from the Aston Martin Lagonda stable. Back in August 2008, we revealed how the British sports car maker was in talks with the German giant over future cooperation (read our original Aston-Merc scoop here).

Bonkers KTM X-Bow GT with 435hp

KTM’s X-Bow is the Austrian firm’s answer to the Caterham Seven – a lightweight, two-seater track car that makes no sacrifices when it comes to luxuries. Which is why KTM added a bit more in the way of creature comforts (including a windscreen) for its more relaxed ‘GT’ model. And now German tuners Wimmer Rennsporttechnik have got their hands on the X-Bow GT, playing with the engine to turn up the heat… Please click on the image above to read more on the KTM X-Bow GT by Wimmer Rennsporttechnik…