Volkswagen Jetta Speedometer Cluster; (cluster), Vin K (8th Digit), Mph, W/mul on 2040-parts.com

OFFICIAL: Alfa Romeo 4C laps the Nurburgring in 8:04s

The Alfa Romeo 4C (pictured) laps the Nurburgring in 8:04s We wouldn’t normally report on a car lapping the Nurburgring in around 8 minutes; after all, the Nurburgring lap record for a full production car is sub-7 minutes, so 8 minutes seems almost a stroll. But the lap time round the Nurburgring for the Alfa Romeo 4C is worthy of note because it’s a new lap record for a production car with less than 250bhp, and puts the Alfa 4C very much on the map as a performance car. We’d heard rumours a few weeks ago that Horst von Saurma has managed the impressive time in the 4C round the Nurburgring, but Alfa has now confirmed the time – with the 4C shod with road-legal Pirelli Zero Trofeo tyres – was completed on 23rd September 2013.

Lexus CT 200h F Sport arrives in the UK. Starts at £27,850.

Lexus CT 200h F Sport arrives in the UK It’s been a whole year since the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport hoved in to view with its add-on sporty bits and bobs, and now it’s finally arrived in the UK. In case you didn’t read the headline properly – or the original story – the CT 200h F-Sport isn’t a fire-breathing ‘F’ version of the Lexus take on the Prius, but is instead a ‘sportified’ version, with add on bits and a tweaked suspension. But despite the lack of extra horses, the CT 200h F-Sport does go part of the way to addressing the problems of the CT 200h.

Councils urged to shun yellow lines

COUNCILS are being asked to cut unsightly yellow lines as part of a Government drive to rid the streets of clutter. Local Transport Minister Norman Baker has urged local authorities to think about using restricted parking zones, instead of automatically opting to use yellow lines to control parking, particularly in single streets and environmentally-sensitive areas in towns and cities. Restricted parking zones require a limited number of signs which tell motorists if they can or can not park and during which times and are considered less intrusive than conventional yellow lines.