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Honda Civic Type-R MUGEN (2009) first official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 22 June 2009 18:00 Honda's Mugen Motorsports performance tuning arm has released the first official pictures of the company's stripped-out Civic Type-R hot hatch. Details are still sketchy, but let's start with the visual changes. There's a deeper and wider front spoiler (sans fog lights), a new grille, a vented bonnet, plus vents just behind the front wheels.  At the back the Civic's triangular exhausts have been replaced by two huge bazooka tailpipes, which fit beneath a more angular rear bumper, and there's also a double-decker wing to make rear visibilty even worse.

AA celebrates 40 years of 'get you home'

THIS MONTH the Automobile Association is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Recovery service - originally called AA Relay - that promised to get you home or to your destination. Back in 1973 there were very limited options if your broken-down car could not be fixed at the side of the road. The AA patrol could only tow you to your local garage to have it fixed or you would have to carry on your journey without the car.

Learners' bizarre superstitions revealed

NERVES can have a crippling effect on learner drivers once they get to test day. Here, instructors with the AA Driving School recall particularly superstitious students whose desire to get their full licence resulted in carrying out unusual rituals: :: One pupil wore the T-shirt she had on when she gave birth to her daughter (now seven years old) and the trousers she was wearing before she conceived. :: A learner had failed three times due to nerves.