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

BMW i8 EV sold out until 2015

BMW i8 EV sold out until 2015 BMW’s i3 city car EV is now starting to hit the road, and the next instalment for BMW’s EV outing is the i8 Supercar, revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Sales for the i3 have started very strongly, and it looks as though the i8 has an even stronger start with BMW confirming the whole of the first year’s run if the i8 are already spoken for. That’s despite the BMW i8 starting at almost £100k in the UK, but the i8 does have a lot going for it.

One Lap of the Web: Porsche 959s, the Alfa Romeo 4C and the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG vs. the BMW M135i

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- When initially produced to satisfy FIA homologation requirements in 1986, the Porsche 959 was the world's fastest street-legal production car.

Concept Car of the Week: Honda Kiwami (2003)

As part of Honda's exploration into new, clean-performing technologies, the Kiwami concept was created to test public acceptance of the idea of a large, fuel cell-powered luxury sedan.  Unveiled in 2003, the simple yet striking design seemed like a Japanese twist on the Renault Vel Satis concept, which shared a similar wedge profile, wide stance and minimalist approach.  However, the Kiwami found its own interpretation of modern luxury, expressed through elegantly integrated technology rather than with crystal champagne glasses.  Up front, a full-width LED strip headlamp sat flush with the flat bonnet and the rectangular bumper to create a design of primitive beauty.  Further examples of the same simple Japanese aesthetic are found around the car, including the uncluttered body panels and a full-width tail-lamp graphic that matched the front theme.  The dramatic proportions of the interior were closely related to the package of the hydrogen power plant. Unlike other manufacturers at the time, Honda engineers did not create a 'skateboard' fuel cell chassis below the cabin. Instead, a sideways H-shaped layout for the control unit, ultracapacitor, fuel cell stack, hydrogen storage and other components was used, helping to create a lower center of gravity.