Mercruiser 5.7 on 2040-parts.com

Toyota's quake-hit Yaris plant offline for at least another month

Toyota's quake-hammered Miyagi assembly plant, which makes the Yaris small car for export to the United States, is expected to be offline for at least another month. Workers have completed repairs at the factory and restored electricity, but the facility cannot get supplies of natural gas, a person familiar with the situation said. The assessment underscores the long road facing Toyota and other Japanese automakers in bringing plants back into full operation following the deadly quake, which killed more than 11,000 people, ruptured gas lines, shutdown electric grids and snarled logistics across half the country.

Skoda Fabia

Succeeding the first Fabia that helped revive the Czech brand with 1.5million sales comes its second iteration. Blending the original car with the more recent Roomster, the new Fabia sports two-box packaging with a wrap-around glass graphic. And though the car has grown, it still slips in under 4 meters.

Tax disc to be scrapped after 93 years

David Cole | REX Features Tax discs are to be axed, chancellor George Osborne has announced in his 2013 Autumn Statement. But motorists will still pay an annual Vehicle Excise Duty (VED / road tax) fee. The round paper certificates we all currently display in our car windows have served as proof of this road tax payment since 1921.