Wrangler Rear Fender Flare (left) - Crown# 5ah17jx9 on 2040-parts.com

Daftest hard shoulder stops revealed

DRIVERS have illegally stopped on motorway hard shoulders for all sorts of barely believable reasons, according to a list from the Highways Agency Some of the dumb and dumber reasons include picking flowers, renewing insurance policies and even trying to sell their car. One motorist pulled over after seeing "Fire" on his dashboard display, but fortunately for his car it turned out to be the name of an Adele track he was listening to. On another occasion, traffic officers found two cars on the hard shoulder, with the owners halfway through the selling and buying process for one of the cars.

Mazda reveals date for all-new MX-5

Mazda has confirmed that the all-new fourth generation Mazda MX-5 (ND) will be unveiled in September 2014. The new MX-5 will be shown simultaneously at events in the USA, Japan and Barcelona in Spain. 2014 also marks the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the first MX-5 – also know as the Eunos Roadster and Mazda Miata – in 1989.

Volume sales of plug-in Toyota Prius to begin in two years

Toyota will start leasing 150 of its Prius plug-in hybrids in the United States this winter and plans retail sales of tens of thousands in two years. The North American arrival, scheduled for around February, is part of a global rollout of 600 units. With a longer electric-only cruise range than the standard Prius, the plug-in is Toyota's answer to the Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid being launched next year by General Motors Co.