Multi Purpose Light Bulb Dorman 639-045 on 2040-parts.com

Used cars 'getting cheaper'

CONSUMERS holding on to their motor for longer are driving down the cost of used cars, according to new research. The average price for a second-hand car in July-September 2011 was £8,870 - a 2.4% decline compared with the same period a year ago, according to the Auto Trader company. It is the first time the price has dipped below £9,000 since the company started tracking the market in January 2010.

Toyota Prius Plug-In (2012) priced from £27,895

Toyota is about to launch the Prius Plug-In hybrid in the UK and today confirmed it'll cost £27,895. Clever tech comes at a price - the regular Prius costs from £21,560. The price of the plug-in Prius hybrid would be even higher without the Government's £5000 grant.

2013 VW Beetle Convertible arrives

The new 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible has been revealed ahead of a launch at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. The new Beetle Convertible is due to bow in at the LA Auto Show in November  but VW obviously decided it was pragmatic to get an early reveal out of the way before the new Bug soft top trickled on to the Interwebs of its own accord. What we get is what we expected (although we did hold out a little hope the new Beetle Cabriolet would look more like the E-Bugster Cabriolet Concept); a convertible version of the 2012 Beetle with a pram style soft top that sits on the boot.