Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Where is Nissan and Infiniti design headed? Just look at the lamps

For a glimpse at future styling trends from Nissan Motor Co., look to the headlamps on the Nissan Leaf electric car and the sculpted rear of the Infiniti M. Front and rear lamps raised from the body surface and pronounced spoilers are two tricks Nissan will use more often to improve the aerodynamics and handling of vehicles--in addition to giving them a futuristic flair, global design chief Shiro Nakamura says. The goal: Win young drivers and bring sales of models such as the Nissan Altima in line with Japanese rivals "The important thing is the front end and the rear end," Nakamura said during an April 12 interview at the company's main design studio south of Tokyo.

VW Cross Coupe Concept goes diesel

The VW Cross Coupe Concept goes diesel - and red Volkswagen are bringing the Cross Coupe Concept to Geneva, but even though it looks the same it now gets a diesel-powered hybrid powertrain. At the end of last year we saw the VW Cross Coupe Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, an ‘Urban’ Crossover come SUV Concept from Volkswagen that looked as if it had stolen every current design trend and morphed it in to one concept. Oddly, it worked.

Vette plant to build high-performance engines

General Motors is moving its Performance Build Center, which let enthusiasts pay $5,000-plus to build the high-performance engine for their Chevrolet Corvette, from Michigan to the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky. The move is expected to be completed by spring 2014. It will let a Corvette buyer build his own engine, with help from a GM technician, and then see it installed in his car as it goes down the Bowling Green assembly line.