Edlebrock F4b on 2040-parts.com

Lamborghini Huracan racks up 700 orders ahead of a Geneva debut

The new Lamborghini Huracan (pictured) secures 700 orders before a public debut The new Lamborghini Huracan – the long-awaited replacement for the Lamborghini Gallardo – was revealed just before Christmas and has been doing a tour of private reveals to Lamborghini faithful around the world. Those private presentations look like they’ve been quite a success, with Lamborghini reporting 700 secured orders for the Huracan already – half the average annual orders of the Gallardo in just a month – before it’s even been publicly revealed. With styling that owes more than a passing nod to the Aventador, 602bhp from its 5.2 litre V10 and 4WD, the Huracan is an appealing mid-engined supercar from Lamborghini, especially has Lamborghini seem to have worked hard to increase the quality of construction and materials used.

Councils make £594m from parking

RECORD SURPLUSES from parking revenues have been achieved by councils, according to the RAC Foundation. In 2012/13 councils in England generated a combined "profit" of £594 million from their on and off-street parking operations, the foundation said. This was a 5% increase on the figure of £565 million for 2011/12, and just 52 of the 353 parking authorities in England reported a deficit in 2012/13.

The fall and rise of the budget car

Twenty years ago, the classic bargain brands like Lada seemed to be going the same way as the Soviet empire that spawned them. Woefully dated and badly made, only a weirdo would have bought a new Lada rather than a second-hand model from Ford, Vauxhall or VW. However, one of the big trends in the car industry today is the re-emergence of bargain cars.