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

Mercedes-Benz courts Renault for new Smart model based on Twingo

Mercedes-Benz is set to join forces with Renault in a deal aimed at providing its underdeveloped Smart division with a contemporary-engineered front-engine/front-wheel-drive platform as the basis for a frugal new Forfour model. The new Smart, due out in 2013, is planned to sit on a lightly modified version of the Renault Twingo’s underpinnings, complete with a 93.3-inch wheelbase. Speaking about the new car over the weekend, a highly placed Mercedes-Benz official told AutoWeek: “It’s a key component in plans to grow the Smart brand.

Buy a Renault Laguna – get a free Renault Twizy EV

Renault in Spain is offering buyers of the Laguna or Espace a free Twizy EV as new car sales plummet in Spain. Renault has solved the problem of slow selling cars in the UK by simply no longer offering them. Which means the UK no longer gets the Wind Roadster, the Espace, the Modus, the Kangoo and even  the Laguna. But in Spain it’s different, so Renault dealers on the Iberian Peninsula are stuck with having to sell big mainstream cars no one actually wants, plus they have Renault’s obsession with producing daft EVs to contend with too.

The Great Date Car Debate: Top 10 date cars from his perspective--and hers

Here at AutoWeek, we've seen plenty of top 10 lists for date cars over the past few years. They all seem to have one thing in common: They're written by male bloggers whose most recent date was with a two-liter of Mountain Dew and a PlayStation 3. Since we have both men and women on our editorial staff, we decided to get a read on the subject of date cars from an actual representative sample of the dating pool.