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

Volkswagen Touareg Facelift heading for Beijing Motor Show

The Volkswagen Touareg (pictured) with its 2015 nip and tuck It’s almost four years since the latest VW Touareg was revealed – and a year since VW introduced and R Line version of the Touareg - and now it’s time for a bit of a nip and tuck for VW’s largest SUV. Heading for the Beijing Motor SHow next week is a facelift for the Touareg which combines small cosmetic tweaks with some new technology to bring the Touareg up to date. A new front bumper and new bi-xenon headlights give the nose a new look, and a new back bumper, diffuser and LE fogs tweak the back.

Lexus IS (2013) more details of new 3-series rival

Lexus has pulled the cloth back on the all-new Lexus IS at the 2013 Detroit motor show, and announced more details of its new hybrid 3-series rival. This will be the first hybrid Lexus IS, and UK sales will start in summer 2013.  What do we know about the new hybrid Lexus IS?  The IS300h combines an electric motor with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The torque output is yet to be confirmed, but there's 217bhp and Lexus is aiming for a sub-100g/km CO2 output and fuel consumption of at least 65mpg. Figures like that are likely to grab the attention of fleet managers, as Lexus hopes to close the gap on rivals like the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class and Audi A4.  There's a non-hybrid model too, but this IS250 will be powered by a 204bhp 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine. It won't be a fleet favourite.  The IS250h has a six-speed automatic transmission, the IS300h has a CVT gearbox, and both cars are rear-wheel drive.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage price set

The V12-powered version of the Aston Martin Vantage arrives in U.S. dealer showrooms late this year, with a base sticker price of $181,345, which includes shipping charges and a $3,000 gas-guzzler tax. Stepping up to the Carbon Black Special Edition adds $15,000 to the sticker price, for a total of $196,345.