Suzuki Z400 Bracket Support Ltz400 on 2040-parts.com

Engine of the Year Winners: Ford 1.0 litre EcoBoost is top dog

Ford’s 1.0 Litre EcoBoost wins Engine of the Year 2013 If anything is going to overturn the received wisdom that all small cars should come with a diesel engine, it’s Ford’s 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine. Torquey, lively and frugal, the 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine is a little marvel, a fact recognised for the second year running by the judging panel for the Engine of the Year Awards,  which has given the 1.0 litre EcoBoost the highest ever marks in the award’s fifteen year history. A total of 87 car journalists from 35 countries were hugely impressed with the power, torque and small size of the Ford engine, with one journalist, Peter Lyon, commenting: “Who’d have believed it?

Porsche Macan production starts in December

The Porsche Macan (pictured) starts production in December with a bolder look It does seem that the baby Cayenne – the new, Audi Q5 based Porsche Macan – has been on its way for a while, but Porsche has now confirmed production will start in December, with first Macans hitting Porsche showrooms in early 2014. But despite the Macan having been spied many times, seemingly almost undisguised, we really don’t know what it will look like. That’s because Porsche’s man in charge of the design of the Macan - Michael Mauer – has admitted that Porsche has had to go back to the drawing board with the Macan to try and address its design in light of the huge success of the Range Rover Evoque.

Renault Clio Expression Eco: A perfect commuter car

Renault Clio Expression Eco - makes any electric car seem profligate We hear so much about how electric cars make the perfect commuter car. They can manage to do a fifty or sixty mile round trip a day, don’t need a tax disc and – for those going in to London every day – there’s no congestion charge to pay. There’s also the negligible cost of electricity to charge the car (for now, at least) and the zero emissions at the point of use.