New BMW 316d ES Saloon

BMW has announced the BMW 316d ES - its most economical 3-Series to date Car makers are falling over themselves to introduce new models that are more fuel efficient and less polluting than what went before, and this time it’s BMW’s time to play the game with the most economical 3 Series yet – the new BMW 316d ES Saloon. The 316d ES gets BMW’s 2.0 litre 4-pot diesel and a six-speed manual ‘box, which manages a quite impressive 62.8mpg and emits only 118g/km of CO2. That puts it in to the £35 a year VED band and makes this the cleanest and most economical 3 Series yet.

Subaru Impreza WRX STI A-Line released in Japan

To bring its flagship performance sedan to the masses, Subaru has released the Impreza WRX STI A-Line in Japan. The A-Line swaps-in a traditional five-speed automatic transmission with Sportshift in place of the six-speed manual. Paddle shifters and a blipping control system that automatically raise engine revs during downshifts are standard.

Austrian Grand Prix Qualifying: WILLIAMS front row – Massa on pole

Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg – the front three in Austria The writing was perhaps on the wall for the Mercedes domination of the 2014 F1 season after the Canadian Grand Prix, and the writing is now loud and proud for Williams as they lock out the front row for the Austrian Grand Prix tomorrow. Massa has taken pole – his first pole for six years – with team mate Valtteri Bottas just 0.087 seconds behind as Williams took advantage of errors from Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes, which also compromised Nico Rosberg, creating a Williams front row in the process. Hamilton’s first run didn’t count because he took all four wheels over the white line at turn eight, and he skidded out on his next quick lap, leaving him dead last in final qualifying but starting ninth after Nico Hulkenberg’s disqualification.