Vacuum Reservoir Dorman 47076 on 2040-parts.com

Seat Leon Cupra 280 breaks Nürburgring lap record (2014)

By Ollie Kew Motor Industry 05 March 2014 11:00 You’re looking at the fastest front-wheel drive car ever to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife: the Seat Leon Cupra 280. A paddleshift DSG-equipped three-door example has lapped the 12-mile lap in 7min 58.44sec – smashing the previous record of 8min 7.97sec, held by the Renaultsport Megane Trophy. It's a slap in Honda's face too: the Japanese maker wanted its new Civic Type-R to be the first sub-8min hatch.

Road drainage problems increasing

ROAD DRAINAGE during the mid-summer heatwave was no better than in the early-year floods, according to 40% of drivers. A further 9% said drainage in June was even worse than during the winter downpours, the AA/Populus survey of more than 18,000 AA members showed. Most dissatisfaction with the state of the roads in mid-summer was shown by drivers in Yorkshire and Humberside, with 46% of them reckoning drainage was no better than during the winter.

Zagato TZ3 Stradale: Alfa curves meet America muscle

The beautiful Alfa Zagato TZ3 Stradale There’s been a lot going on to celebrate the centenary of Alfa Romeo, not least the cars created to pay tribute to a marque that still oozes petrol from every pore. January 2011 saw the Alfa Romeo Pininfarina Concept at Geneva Motor Show, April saw the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa début at Villa D’Este and Christmas had us expecting a Zagato TZ4 Stradale after Zagato’s Christmas card seemed to show what we thought could be an Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ4 all wrapped up in a bow. Now, four months on, Zagato has taken the bow of the Christmas present and presented us with the Zagato TZ3 Stradale, beautiful Alfa curves and based on a … Viper.