Antique Ford Window Crank. Item: 4410 on 2040-parts.com

Coventry University MA Design Degree Show 2004

MA students from England's Coventry University Automotive Design course presented their annual degree exhibition last September in a brand-new facility. The Show, entitled 'Move', displayed the 21 students work in the new Coventry Transport Museum, situated in the recently redeveloped heart of the city. An industry seminar was also hosted on the opening evening with a keynote speech by Kevin Rice, Design Manager, BMW 1-Series, and with event sponsorship by Corus.

Call for reform over road repair funding

FUNDING patterns mean most road maintenance is being carried out in "less-efficient, cold and wet" times, a report from a Government spending watchdog has said. The current pattern of funding, combined with the need to spend money within the financial year, means that most maintenance work goes on between September and March, said the report from the National Audit Office (NAO). It went on: "Although this is less disruptive for road users, it is less efficient than carrying out the work at other times of year because materials can be more difficult to handle in cold and wet conditions, and daylight hours are shorter." The report went on: "As a result of the additional funding for emergency repairs, which is made available at the end of the financial year, almost all highways authorities need extra capacity from the market at the same time, which makes it less likely that they will get value for money." The NAO report said there was a "lack of predictability" over road spending adding that historically, local highway authorities spent more revenue on maintenance, but were now carrying out fewer routine activities such as clearing gullies which are essential to preventing water seeping into roads' sub-structure.

BMW M3 engine shown

By Ben Barry Motor Industry 23 March 2007 01:18 BMW has revealed detailed specs on the all-new 4.0-litre V8 that’s soon to be slotted into the all-new M3. Power is confirmed at 420bhp with 295lb ft peak torque available from 3000 to 7000rpm. The engine – made at the same foundry as the BMW Sauber F1 team’s V8 and derived from the same architecture as the M5 and M6 V10 – looks set to dispel any fears M purists may have had that the M3 would be transformed into a nose heavy, slow revving behemoth.