2013 Mazda3 MPS & revised Mazda 3 range prices

Mazda has revealed the 2013 Mazda3 MPS hot hatch and announced it is adding the Tamura and Venture to the standard range. The 2013 Mazda3 MPS gets some small titivations (although you do need to look quite hard – there’s even fewer changes than the regular 2012 Mazda3) with some new tail light graphics, a new gunmetal finish for the 18″ alloys and a black Mica finish for the trim at the bottom of the back bumper, door mirrors and inner roof spoiler. Fortunately, Mazda has kept the peppy 2.3 litre turbo petrol that offers 256bhp and can scuttle the little Mazda to 62mph in 6.1 seconds.

Concils 'confident' over winter salt stockpiles

COUNCILS are confident they can cope with bad-weather conditions on the roads this winter. A survey shows that local authorities in England and Wales have stockpiled more salt for this winter than last. A total of 1.3 million tonnes was stockpiled for winter 2012/13 and the Local Government Association (LGA) shows that 95% of councils are either maintaining or increasing stock levels this winter.

Peugeot 208 Hybrid FE Concept stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Peugeot is showing a wide spectrum of vehicles here at Frankfurt 2013, with the amazingly efficient 208 Hybrid FE Concept supermini here sitting alongside the practical and high quality 308 family hatchback and the racy, performance-focused 308 R Concept. If the French carmaker can turn the 208 Hybrid FE’s vital statistics from pie-in-the-sky prototype to production reality (and there’s no real reason why it couldn’t) it would surely be onto a winner.