Alfa Romeo Gt 2.0 2004 Starter Motor 0.00110741 on 2040-parts.com

Approved mechanics essential for quality service

DRIVERS need to make sure their car is being properly serviced by a qualified mechanic, says the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). To help drives do this, it has launched a government-backed scheme called the Professional Register. While there are around 175,000 people in the UK who call themselves automotive technicians, the IMI says it can only recommend around 27,000 as having the required skills and competence to carry out work to the required standard in their specialism.

Gran Turismo 5 features Newey's dream car

WITH VIDEO -- Red Bull Racing's X1 Prototype, designed by Adrian Newey and tested by Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel, will be included in the Gran Turismo 5 video game set to go on sale in November. When creating Gran Turismo 5, the Polyphony Digital design team wanted an ultimate car, one not limited by the rules. "Every race in the world today conforms to some sort of regulations, and every racing car is built to fit within those various regulations," said Kazunori Yamauchi, president of Polyphony Digital Inc.

Fiat 500L MPW goes on sale. Costs from £15,795

The Fiat 500L MPW (pictured) is now on sale. Costs from £15,795 The latest extension (literally) to the Fiat 500 range – the Fiat 500L MPW – has gone on sale in the UK so lovers of Fiats appealing 500 can still get their fix even if they have a Brady Bunch sized family. A stretched version of the already stretched Fiat 500L, the 500L MPW (which gets the 500L Living badge outside the UK) isn’t a true 7-seater, but does get two extra occasional seats in the boot for transporting the smallest members of your brood when needed.