B.b. Chevy 502 Pistons on 2040-parts.com

Report: Gasoline engine has big bang for the fuel-economy buck

A government report says improving the gasoline engine will yield huge gains for the consumer and the environment as automakers consider ways to improve fuel economy over the next 14 years. The Obama administration's technical assessment looked at four technology scenarios by which automakers might attain suggested CAFE goals of 47 to 62 mpg for cars and light trucks by 2025. The scenarios differed by the portion of an automaker's fleet that was accounted for by electrics, hybrid electrics and plug-in hybrid electrics.

UK new car average CO2 now under 140g/km

UK motor industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) claims 56% of new cars sold in the UK during 2010 boasted carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions figures below 140g/km. New car emissions of CO2 continued to fall at an increased rate year-on-year, dropping 3.5% over 2009’s figures and representing a cumulative drop in new car CO2 emissions of 20.3% since 2000.  The data comes from the release of the SMMT’s annual New Car Carbon Dioxide (CO2) report for 2011, out today. UK vehicle fleet CO2 continues to fall The presence of lower-polluting new vehicles in the overall UK vehicle parc (the total fleet of new and existing vehicles on the roads) has driven parcwide CO2 levels down 7.8% since 2000, and 2.7% since 2009.  This is partly thanks to new vehicles, and also due to reduction of higher-polluting vehicles via legislation and scrappage incentive schemes. The overall reduction also comes in spite of an increased number of vehicles on the road, and greater average distances travelled compared to 2000. Diesel’s rise continues One notable trend has been market penetration of diesel-powered cars. In 2000 petrol powered cars held 85.9% of the market, with 14.1% diesels.

Police authorities turning a blind eye to lane hoggers

REX Features MSN Cars can exclusively reveal that just 13 drivers have been fined for lane hogging on the M25 since new laws were introduced last year – while thousands are still penalised for breaking the speed limit. The news comes following a freedom of information request carried out by MSN to the six police authorities covering London’s orbital motorway, which according to the Department for Transport carries 153,000 vehicles a day. Fines for middle-lane hogs from this FridayOn Bing: see pictures of motorway lane hoggers The law was changed on 16 August 2013 to give police officers the power to fine motorists £100 for sitting in the middle lane of the motorway, or any other form of driving considered “careless”, such as tailgating.