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

Volvo confirms big production increase for V60 Plug-in Hybrid

Volvo has been building around 150 V60 Plug-ins a week at its facility in Torslanda – alongside the regular V60, V70, S80 and XC90 – but that is now set to be upped to 282 cars a week for the rest of 2013, with plans to build at least 10,000 in 2014. The fact is that the V60 is a very appealing estate car already, and bolting a plug-in hybrid setup has turned it in to a big hit in showrooms because the barking mad official economy and emissions system bestows the V60 plug-in with emissions of just 48g/km, making it a real no-brainer in countries where governments blindly tax cars based on their official emissions. That means countries like Holland, where Volvo has received more than 3,000 orders for the V60 Plug-in, and the UK are lapping up the hybrid offering from Volvo as a way to escape big taxes and still have a swift (0-62mph in 6.1 seconds), appealing and stylish car.

Porsche's Tony Hatter on the design of the new Cayman [w/Video]

Porsche design manager for Sports Cars Tony Hatter features in a short video explaining the design process and evolution of the new Cayman. Hatter explains how the design team worked towards seriously transforming the proportions of the car to give it a new image while keeping it looking like a Cayman. The Porsche 904's design was crucial in the process, inspiring several of the car's main aesthetic features.

Detroit Auto Show 2004 Trends and Overview

Where last year's Detroit Auto Show was all about horsepower and luxury, this year's show was more muted, with few truly outstanding cars making shockwaves. The main contender, the Chrysler ME Four-Twelve, didn't create anything like the reaction of the Cadillac Sixteen last year and seemed a bit late to the party, with its massive power and excessive styling. And after all the hype, shouldn't it have been a Dodge, the power brand of DaimlerChrysler, rather than just a Chrysler?For the past couple of years the show has been dominated by truck and SUV launches, so it was good to see the focus shifting back towards cars once again.