Tailgate Support Cable (dorman #38505) on 2040-parts.com

Secrets of bidders: Is this your year to steal a car at the Arizona auctions?

Each January, enthusiasts flock to Arizona for the most exciting events on the auction calendar. Seven companies--Barrett-Jackson, RM Auctions, Gooding & Co., Russo and Steele, Kruse International, ICA Auctions and Silver Auctions--will duke it out, with more than 3,000 collector cars on the block. But with real estate tanking, the economy in a tailspin, consumer confidence at an all-time low, retail car sales bottoming and automakers begging for loans in Washing-ton, is this any time to buy an old car at auction?

BMW Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo (2013) at Frankfurt motor show

If a collection of numbers dictated how we ranked and rated a car, the new BMW Alpina D3 might just be the best all-rounder in the world. You’re looking at a discreet and comfortable 3-series that’ll return a claimed 53.2mpg, and scorch to 62mph in just 4.6 seconds, quicker than the outgoing BMW M3. Read on to find out how.

Peugeot Bipper Tepee launches

The Peugeot Bipper Tepee MPV The Bipper Tepee is basically a Bipper van that’s been modded to change it in to a ‘car’. It’s the first time Peugeot has pulled this trick with the Bipper van, although they’ve been the same route with the Partner van which became the Partner Combi and is now the Partner Tepee (Tepee is Peugeot’s code for ‘It’s got seats). So the van with seats does offer what you’d expect from a van – loads of room.