Sorry Toyota. We’d much rather you didn’t have to recall 1.8 million cars across the whole of Europe too. It’s annoying for you and it’s annoying (and potentially dangerous) for customers – so we won’t dwell on it. Here’s a simple list of the UK Toyotas that are being recalled to have an as yet unspecified modification to prevent the accelerator pedal from possibly sticking:

Auris: October 2006 – 5th January 2010

Avensis: November 2008 – December 2009

Aygo: February 2005 – August 2009

Corolla: October 2006 – December 2009

iQ: November 2008 – November 2009

RAV4: November 2005 – November 2009

Verso: February 2009 – 5th January 2010

Yaris: November 2005 – November 2009

It’s not yet known whether the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107 that are based on the Aygo will need any attention. Toyota recommend a few tactics should your accelerator pedal stick… which all sound very similar to ‘put it in neutral and put the brakes on’. We had a 106 GTI once in which the floormat had a really exciting habit of hooking over the faster pedal and jamming it on – after a bit of practice, we learnt to unhook it with a deft flick of the ankle. Not that we’d condone that type of behaviour…

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Toyota released more details of their sticky accelerator problems – 1.8 million cars across Europe are being recalled, UK models listed above. Pictures and details of the Carlsson C25 emerged – a 743bhp supercar based on the Mercedes CL. And McLaren revealed their ‘MP4-25’ 2010 Formula 1 car, with Jenson and Lewis both repeating how they’re looking forward to working TOGETHER.

Go to a pub, banter with your car-brained mates, have a few beers, play some darts… then tell them that buying a Honda Insight is a thoroughly excellent idea. It’d be like suggesting they eat a Falafel salad with low fat mayo instead of pork scratchings. But their scepticism is wrong… and it’s your duty to talk them round.

First, recite some trivia. It’s still the most economical hybrid ever made. They’ll no doubt laugh, so tell them it’s made from aluminium. Probably won’t care about that either. So change tactic and frame the car as a two-seat, lightweight coupe with faired in wheels which are obviously the coolest things in the world. That’ll get them really laughing – but you’ll have their attention. So keep going.

Brag about the Insight’s long range and light weight. 85mpg on a 40 litre tank means you can go over 700 miles without stopping. Girls will suddenly be interested. The men will be jealous. While the 69bhp 3-cylinder 1.0l engine might sound limp, it will crack 62mph in about 11 secs with the help of the 10kw motor. Considering the long economy biased gear ratios (over 70mph in 2nd…) that’s not bad. And at just 820kg, it should drive with some degree of flightiness too.

With interest vaguely bubbling, hook them in with the fact that a mk1 Insight can cost less than £5k. You’ll never pay any congestion charging, and if you buy one that’s registered after March 2001, you won’t pay any road tax either. Even a pre-2001 early model will only cost £65 a year. When the Insight first came to Britain in 2000, it cost £16k and in the three years it was available, only sold a couple of hundred – so it’ll make the dowdy pub folk look unique and interesting as a bonus.

Servicing costs are pretty standard for a Honda too. The oil needs changing every 7,500 miles so look for proof of that, but they’re generally very well looked after. The battery has a warranty of 8 years or 80,000 miles, which is more than likely to be expired – but problems are rare and the lifespan is generally around 150,000 miles if driven normally. In the worst-case scenario, a new battery pack will cost a couple of grand but can be refurbed for around £500. If you’re a real hardcore hybrid high miler, you’ll want the factory fit Bridgestone B391 tyres too, which are worth a few extra mpg – 120mpg has been known.

Best not to go into details about tyre choice and oil servicing in the pub though – your mates are probably a bit pissed by this point anyway. It’s the perfect time to whip out the final tool in the Insight buying arsenal – increased beer money. Just show them how much more London Pride they could afford thanks to all the tax, congestion and petrol that wouldn’t need to be paid for. Save the world, get girls, drink beer… drive an Insight. Just never use the word hypermiling at the bar.

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Toyota had a bad day – after announcing 750 job losses at their Burnaston plant in Derbyshire, they extended their American sticky accelerator recall to Europe. Ferrari unveiled their 2010 Formula One car. Ford made a profit for the first time in four years. And Audi’s relentless viral campaign to promote the A1 continued, with a horrible video involving German footballers.

Everyone’s favourite American YouTube skidding sensation and part-time adequate rally driver, Ken Block, has got a new car. It’s a Ford Fiesta, and he’ll be driving it in the 2010 Rally America Championship which starts this weekend in Michigan. As with anything Kenny related, there’s a snazzy video to promote it…

As you might have already gathered from the above, he’ll also be entering in a few rounds of the WRC – but in a Focus RS. Time to prove if he can do more than drift around like this:

It never gets boring.

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Rumours of Porsche building a sub-Boxster strengthened, while the company was also sued by Americans accusing it of manipulating VW shares. The Mexican company that owns Corona beer bought diddy German sportscar makers Artega, employing an ex-BMW engineer to run it. And a video of a man parking a Fiat Panda in his impossibly small garage inspired desperate estate agents.

A year after GM first announced they wanted to sell Saab, they’ve actually gone and done it. Dutch supercar makers Spyker, who haven’t been in profit this century, have stumped up $74 million to buy Saab – who, thanks to GM, haven’t made any money since 2001. And that was the only year they made money in two decades. But they’re just little niggles… Saab is alive.

Obviously, the deal isn’t as simple as some extravagent Dutchmen handing over a briefcase of Kroner. The Swedish Government have confirmed they’ll guarantee a 400 million Euro loan that Saab requested from the European Investment Bank, and GM will still be involved – they’ll get $326 million worth of Saab shares and will build the 9-4X at their factory in Mexico.

So, can the new ‘Saab Spyker Automobiles’ succeed where Saab under GM failed? The hardcore restructuring at Saab’s Trollhätten base should get it off to a good start. While the current 9-3 is built at Magna’s plant in Austria, the new one will be made at the HQ alongside the current and next 9-5 in a plant that requires a lower production volume to break even than it has before. When these new models arrive is unknown at the moment… but there are over 3,000 Saab jobs resting on them being good enough for people to spend money on – so for now, let’s just wish Saab Spyker Automobiles some really really really good luck. Griffin Up and all that.

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Alfa Romeo released a teaser video of the new Golf rivalling Giulietta, which takes itself so seriously you can’t help but smirk. A Bugatti Type 22 that spent at least half a century at the bottom of a lake in Italy sold for £228,000 at auction. And, finally, GM confirmed that they’re selling Saab to Spyker – more on that above.

Generally, we’re as interested in scrappage discounts as we are in what Mike Brewer has for breakfast. It’s pretty negligable. But something interesting has happened. As Government scrappage money runs out and a lot of manufacturers are looking forward to not chopping a grand off their cars (or are planning to reduce their inflated scrappage era list prices…), Hyundai have done something completely fucking mental. Mike Brewer eating Steak Pie for breakfast mental. Proper.

Post-scrappage, they’re offering three smart looking deals  - we’ll try and explain them briefly:

Least impressive is the ‘Friends and Family’ voucher. Each of Hyundai’s 33,000 scrappage customers will be sent a £250 discount voucher which they can give to whoever they like.

More impressive is the ‘Trade and Upgrade’ deal. Anyone who trades in a car that’s between seven and ten years old will get £2k off any new Hyundai. That’s nice of them.

Best is the ‘Happy Returns’ deal. Anyone who’s got an i10, i20 or i30 that’s less than a year old can trade it in for a new ’10′ plated model for a small fee. No matter what model you trade in, you can choose to pay £499 for a new i10, £599 for an i20 or £749 for an i30.

The Happy Returns deal looks the most enticing… and we’re sure Hyundai are far better than us at anticipating what the potential flood of nearly new i10s, i20s and i30s will do to the used market. But that’s why we found it interesting – it’s different, it seems brave and it’s obviously been worked out by men with very big abacusses.

And, for the record, Mike Brewer had 3 Weetabix for breakfast. He put semi-skimmed milk on them, then microwaved them for 45 secs.

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Parent company of MG, China’s biggest car maker SAIC, announced it will sell the new MG 6 model in Europe this year, building them at Longbridge. Mercedes GP revealed their new car and the colours of their drivers’ helmets – Schumacher’s is red. And after a day of GM rumours built up to an afternoon press conference… Saab still isn’t sold.

Jazz Fag

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Mercedes announced pricing and details for their massive E-Class estate – prices from £29,785, a boot of 1,950 litres, up to 49.6mpg and AdBlue on the E350 BlueTec diesel. Red Bull released a snazzy video of Sebastian Buemi driving on ice in Canada, to celebrate F1’s return to the country. And there were some rumours of Citroen making a DS3 hot hatch.

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Jaguar announced that XJ prices will start from £53,775 for the three litre turbodiesel, and rise to £90,455 for the LWD V8 when it goes on sale in April. Kia released a picture of its Ray plug-in hybrid concept that’ll appear at the Chicago motor show in February. And Michael Schumacher wrote on his website that his neck doesn’t hurt.

Having something missing from your nose ruins your reputation. Just ask Daniella Westbrook. The BMW Z3 suffered too. Like that woman from Eastenders, it will always be known for having a bigger gap in its hooter than it should have done – too many of them were fitted with diddy 4 cylinder engines that left the swooping, lusty looking nose completely empty. Even now, the Z3 raises more of a smirk than a smile. But there’s one model that never suffered Westbrook-nosehole-itis – the Z3 M Coupe. Its nose equipment was perfect…

Behind the kidney grill nostrils is a 321bhp straight six borrowed from the E36 M3, giving 0-62mph in a twitch over 5 seconds. Yes, you could get the same engine in a Z3 M Roadster, but with its Westbrook reputation you just wouldn’t. The M Coupe version’s roof also gave it a more rigid structure and tighter drive than the roadster; let’s not forget that the rear suspension can be traced back to the E30 from the 1980s. Sophisticated? No. Ball rupturingly brutal? Yes.

And now they’ve basically stopped depreciating. From as little as £8k, you can pick up a reasonable example of one of the early 98/99 cars with around 50k on the clock. And you’d be a happy person if you did just that. But just a little knowledge goes a long way. And we have just a little knowledge…

First up, the Z3 M Coupe had a facelift in Spring 2001, where it gained 4bhp, standard traction control, better brakes and a tyre pressure monitor. By the books, the extra 4bhp also knocked a whole tenth of a second from the 0-62mph time, bringing it down to 5.1 secs. Clearly worth getting a facelift model if you can afford it then… bank on about £12,000. They stopped building them in 2002 – the last models are the priciest, heading up towards £20k for specced up minty treats.

There are a few little niggles to look out for too. An over-enthusiastic yump down a particularly bumpy road can make the car bottom out, with the fuel tank being the first to take a hit – have a look underneath the boot and check there isn’t any damage.

Also, just like a lot of BMWs, the Z3 M Coupe can munch through front suspension components like bushes and ball joints – check the steering feels as tight as it should and there aren’t any devious clonks. A receipt for front suspension work would be a nice find, and a full service history an essential one. The interior isn’t as smartly crafted as current BMWs, so keep an ear out for squeaks and rattles that might drive you slowly insane.

You could buy a more practical E36 M3 for less money and similar speed, but don’t. You’ll look like you’ve nicked it. Or you could get a Z3 M Roadster and drop the roof when its sunny, but don’t. You’ll look like Daniella Westbrook. Get a Z3 M Coupe, lark about for a year, then sell it for the same price you bought it. It’s brilliant and you nose it.

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Mazda released details of the new Mazda5 seven seat MPV – officially unveiled at Geneva, on sale in the UK this autumn and bearer of a funny swoop. Skoda announced a 1.4% rise in sales in 2009, and showed off piccies of the belting Superb Estate 4×4. And the head of Fiat said Lancia and Chrysler will merge together by the end of the year.

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Mitsubishi officially revealed pictures of its ASX Crossover, which will want to pinch buyers from the all-conquering Qashqai when it arrives this summer. The world’s cleverest man, Ross Brawn, said Michael Schumacher will win the 2010 F1 Championship, but not the first race. And a spokesperson from Saab’s hospice said the company is still hopeful of being revived by Spyker.

A slight of hand somewhere behind the scenes at BMW has led to pictures of the Mini Countryman appearing before they really should have done. And it’s not much of a looker. The mudflaps are in the wrong place for a start…

Various concept incarnations like the doorless Beachcomber have already been shown off, but these are the first real-life, real-car piccies of Mini’s first crossover. It’ll be seen in the flesh for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in March, before going on sale in the UK in the autumn from around £17k. Unlike a lot of mock-roaders, the Countryman will actually be 4WD – eagle eyed viewers will note an ‘All4′ badge on the front door.

Other than the accidentally placed mudflaps, styling hightlights include the clumsiest roof to C-pillar transition ever seen on a production car, round front lights that aren’t actually round at all and a boot lid that still looks sparse despite the massive Mini badge. Good news comes from the fact that it’s got proper back doors instead of borrowing the Clubman’s half sized kitchen cupboard design.

Inside, it’s very similar to a normal Mini with the addition of an aeroplane throttle style handbrake that might be easier to use with Gore-Tex gloves after you’ve been skiing. The styling might be an acquired taste, and even a modestly specced Countryman will no doubt cost Golf GTI money, but look on the bright side… it could be the first new Mini that’s more spacious than Issigonis’ model from 1959. Now that’s progress.

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Ferrari announced the 458 Italia will cost £169,545 when it goes on sale in May… before adding options like the £2k electric seats and £1k wing badges. Audi revealed another A1 teaser picture, where the car is in the dark, obscured by a man with smarmy hair. And Vauxhall released interior pictures of the new Meriva, featuring lots of buttons.

Analogue clocks are generally a sign of good taste, subtle style and nuanced craftsmanship. They grace some of the best interiors in the world, from Bentley to Rolls Royce to Range Rover. Even the VW Phaeton, one of the most carefully considered cars ever made, has one. So to find one in what is essentially a Nissan made for Americans is a bit of a shock. It’s not just a clock – it’s a statement of classy intent.

Because while Infiniti are owned by Nissan, and while they have been making cars for Americans for years, they’re now intent on making us tasteful Brits take them seriously. Everything from the dealer network to the chassis has been specially prepared for us; walk into an Infiniti shop and you won’t get heckled by a thug in a nylon suit, you’ll be offered your own ‘account manager’ who will see you through sale and aftersale for the entire time you own the car. But is their EX37 worthy of the analogue clock?

Moving from the clock outwards, it starts well. The interior sees soft leather meet sharp technology – a bird’s eye view 360º camera system, adaptive cruise control and decent touch screen sat nav are bedded into the European standard materials. Wearing brown and black together might break Trinny and Susannah’s rules but it doesn’t creak, is ergonomically sound and feels tightly glued together. The ambience is in keeping with the timepiece.

And, thanks to the engine, so is the drive. Until a Nissan/Renault V6 diesel is offered later this year, the only motor you can have is the 3.7 litre V6 petrol from the 370Z, which in the EX37 thrusts out 316bhp. You’ll rarely get more than 20mpg from it, but the brawny noise and neck-bothering force it generates maintains the impression of class. Comparing it to its Roller and Bentley clock-mates is obviously daft, but there’s at least a trace of similarity in the way the EX37 is defined by its engine – smooth, strong, linear… and seeing as it hits 62mph in 6.4 seconds, it’s certainly not running slow.

The only aspect of the Infiniti’s mechanism that isn’t precisely metronomic is the ride – a hefty 1900kg kerb weight obviously needs a firm set of springs to keep in check. Roll control and turn in are decent, and grip from the 4wd with rear LSD is excellent… but you can feel the engineering compromise in the way it jolts across bumps. The ride quality is definitely more harsh LED than subdued analogue.

Steer around the potholes though, and the impression of a plush, grunty and refined carriage remains. At £37k, cars like the £10k cheaper Mazda CX-7 and more spacious, similarly priced VW Touareg offer better value, especially with diesel engines up front – but the Infiniti makes them look stark and dull. So while it might not make perfect financial sense, the EX37 is at least worthy of the posh clock.

Digesting the news… then spewing it out in 60 words

Toyota revealed a new version of the FT-86 ‘Toyobaru’ concept – a coupe its building in conjunction with Subaru, fitted with a boxer engine. BMW updated the looks and engines of the 3 Series convertible and coupe, to now be in line with the saloon. And Michael Schumacher received loads of praise for driving a GP2 car at a reasonable pace.