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

Peugeot puts RCZ designer on Twitter

Like many automakers, Peugeot is now making conspicuous use of social media platforms as a component in its new car launch campaigns and in order to manage customer relations online. For its new RCZ coupe, Peugeot in the UK has been running a social media campaign under the strap line "It chooses you", with associated Twitter and Facebook accounts – which culminated with a member of the public winning an RCZ last week. For auto designers, there was little interest in the campaign up until last week, when Peugeot put RCZ designer Boris Reinmöller behind a computer terminal and opened him up to a public Q+A session through its Twitter account.

Electric Land Rover Defender at Geneva 2013

Land Rover has built seven electric Defenders to act as research vehicles for EVs off-road. All seven Defender EVs will be at Geneva 2013. What it is is the 2013 Land Rover Defender – in a variety of body styles – with the diesel gubbins removed and replaced with a big bank of batteries and an electric motor, as Land Rover try to find out if EV off-roaders have real world application possibilities.

Volkswagen UK’s dealer showrooms get a revamp

It’s an interesting exercise to ponder on the future of main dealer showrooms as the world moves more and more towards an online buying experience. Are car showrooms a relic of the past or the perfect way, still, to showcase the offerings from a car maker? Volkswagen are taking no chances on the future and have already rolled out their ‘Digital Showrooms’ across the dealer network where staff get iPads and advanced web tools to try and bring the on-line and off-line worlds in to a workable intersection, and offer customers virtual product that wouldn’t otherwise be available on show.