The engine used in a new Mazda auto helps create a "true sportscar experience", the manufacturer has claimed.

Visitors to this week’s Frankfurt International Motor Show will get to see an MX-5 created especially for the event.

The Superlight was built to mark the 20th anniversary of the roadster.

According to the carmaker, the model manages to be retro and futuristic at the same time.

The auto does not have a roof or a windscreen and Mazda claimed the vehicle offers a sense of oneness between motorist and machine.

It is fitted with a 1.8-litre petrol engine and this unit, combined with sporty chassis settings, helps to provide a great drive, the carmaker stated.

The model also boasts excellent fuel economy and handling, the marque added.

In other news, the Mazda3 MPS is due to arrive in showrooms up and down the UK at the beginning of next month, with prices starting at £21,500.

A family version of the Seat Ibiza should be available by the middle of next year, the manufacturer has revealed.

The company is displaying its IBZ Concept at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.

It explained it had been keen to build an edition of the car that combines a family-sized chassis with the "feisty personality" of the original Ibiza.

Seat claimed the auto’s headlamps play an important role in the vehicle’s good looks.

It stated the front of the model "boasts an attractive sweep", which has been created through the use of pointed tips on the LED lights.

The carmaker added the interior structure of the headlamps resembles a diamond’s facets.

Commenting on the overall vehicle, Seat stated: "The sporty, design-driven, youthful style of the new Ibiza IBZ Concept make it perfect for those who value space, practicality, comfort and driving enjoyment."

In other news, the manufacturer recently struck a three-year sponsorship deal with European football’s governing body Uefa.

Manufacturers across the world may be working on producing increasingly eco-friendly car parts but that does not mean British drivers are convinced about going green, it has been claimed.

The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) made this statement after conducting research that found the UK lies in 16th place in a European table showing which countries are embracing low-emission motoring.

Average CO2 emissions of cars sold in Britain stand at 158 g/km.

In comparison, residents in the greenest European country – Portugal – typically choose autos that release 138 g/km.

ETA Director Andrew Davis said: "Carmakers can build green cars, but they need us to buy them."

He went on to say the government should change the way it encourages UK drivers to go green.

Mr Davis concluded: "We need a more sophisticated carrot and stick approach."

In related news, Jato Dynamics reported earlier this week that manufacturers of prestige cars are doing just as much to improve their eco credentials as more mainstream companies.

Ford car parts are being produced in greater quantities as a result of scrappage schemes across Europe, it has been revealed.

The manufacturer announced it has been required to boost the number of engines being built to cope with demand.

In the UK, some 21,250 vehicles have been ordered under the cash for bangers initiative.

Partly as a result of this, engine production volumes at the group’s Dagenham and Bridgend facilities were up 36.5 per cent in August, compared with the same month in 2008.

The manufacturer’s managing director in the UK, Nigel Sharp, stated:"Ford showrooms are enjoying the sales rush triggered by a new registration plate, limited remaining scrappage subsidies and growing awareness of January’s VAT increase."

He added he was delighted the company’s factories were reaping the rewards of the scrappage scheme, as well as its dealerships.

In other new, the Northern Group of Motoring Writers recently named the Ford Fiesta its Car of the Year.

Drivers up and down the UK may be impressed with the range of equipment fitted to a new Peugeot model.

The entry-level RCZ 2+2 Coupe comes with various features, including active rear spoiler, a twin rear exhaust, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone air conditioning, alarm, immobiliser, rear parking aid, four airbags and selective access locking.

Prices for the car start at £19,900.

Meanwhile, the second trim level boasts additional equipment, such as follow-me-home lighting, automatic windscreen wipers, leather interior, auto-tilting door mirrors and front aid parking.

The auto is due to be unveiled this week at the Frankfurt International Motor Show and is scheduled to arrive in UK showrooms next spring.

Buyers will find they can also choose from numerous personalisation options, including xenon headlamps and black brake calipers.

In other news, the Frankfurt International Motor Show will also be the venue for the world premiere of Peugeot’s 4007 DCS Automatic.

Motorists who appreciate a high-spec car may be tempted by the latest addition to BMW’s line up.

The xDrive35d 10-Year Edition X5 has been launched to mark a decade of production of the model.

People who buy the auto can expect leather upholstery, 20-inch Y-spoke light alloy wheels, Matt Aluminium exterior trim and roof rails, comfort access and a panoramic glass sunroof.

However, individuals keen to purchase the vehicle may need to be quick.

Numbers are to be limited to 2,000, with 200 expected to be sold in the UK.

Prices for the special edition model start from £54,075 and it is available to buy immediately.

Since being released in the UK in 2000, 62,872 examples of the X5 have been sold in the country.

Meanwhile, BMW is due to unveil its Vision EfficientDynamics car at this week’s Frankfurt International Motor Show.

The group described the model as the "most innovative" concept vehicle it has ever produced.

An innovative Audi car part could help minimise the harmful effect of car fumes on humans, it has been suggested.

The manufacturer pointed out its new clean diesel system can remove up to 90 per cent of nitrogen oxide (NOx) from exhaust gases.

It explained NOx is thought to be significantly more dangerous to humans than carbon dioxide.

The clean diesel technology is currently being used in Q7 SUV vehicles in the UK.

It is also due to be displayed at the Frankfurt International Motor Show this week in an A4 Saloon.

By fitting the 3.0-litre TDI engine in the Q7 with this technology, Audi has ensured the unit complies with upcoming EU6 emission regulations that are not due to be introduced in Europe until 2014.

As well as the new A4, the manufacturer is also due to unveil its S5 Sportback and the A3 1.2 TFSI at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.

Motorists keen to ensure their vehicles are as safe as possible may want to consider fitting some Continental car parts.

The company’s ContiPremiumContact 2 tyre has just received an award from Auto Express.

After conducting a series of tests on a range of leading brands, the magazine decided the product was the best all-round offering on the market.

Tyres considered during the assessment were put through their paces in both wet and dry conditions.

Cornering on slippery surfaces, aquaplaning, rolling resistance and braking were all taken into consideration, along with cost and cabin noise.

The products were tested on an Audi A3.

Auto Express stated: "The best all-round tyre money can buy is the Continental."

It went on to say: "The PremiumContact 2 will perform anywhere and it deserves to take the crown for the German maker."

Earlier this month, TyreSafe claimed drivers keen to minimise their chances of being involved in accidents should check tyre pressure once a month.

Motorists may be unintentionally neglecting important car parts, if the comments of one auto repair firm are anything to go by.

Kwik-Fit revealed it carried out research that found a quarter of British motorists have driven a vehicle without an MOT because they forgot the test was due.

A further 41 per cent admitted they struggle to remember when their certificate is scheduled to expire.

In light of the research, Kwik-Fit has launched an email reminder system.

Customer services director David While commented: "We appreciate that people lead busy lives and can easily forget when their car is due an MOT, which is why we are trying to make it as easy as possible."

Motorists who are found guilty of driving without a valid MOT certificate are liable for a £60 fine.

In other news, Kwik-Fit previously advised vehicle owners they should be getting air conditioning units recharged once every two years.

Technicians from Carcraft recently uncovered an unusual reason for one customer’s engine problems.

On examining the woman’s car to see why it was experiencing difficulties starting, mechanics from the company’s Wednesbury branch found a chicken had taken up residence under the bonnet.

The auto and bird are now both fine.

However, the owner of the vehicle said she had no idea where the hen had come from, as she had not been anywhere near a farm or anywhere else such animals are usually found.

"It’s a complete mystery," she stated.

Meanwhile, Carcraft’s service centre manager Anthony Clapp joked: "We’re more used to dealing with horse power than chickens."

He added: "Everyone’s just happy to have solved the problem and saved the chicken."

In other news, Carcraft recently claimed the Vauxhall Corsa was the number one choice among young drivers buying their first auto.

The group claimed the model appeals to such motorists because it has street cred and is cheap to run.