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

VW Passat: New distance world record

VW Passat World distance Record When you as old as I am (or at least as old as I feel) you can’t help but be astonished at the feats of economy car makers seem able to wring from even quite serious, upmarket cars. Yesterday we reported on the Mercedes S250 CDI which manages to perform like a 1990s V8 S-Class whilst simultaneously doing nearly 50mpg. Which to an old git like me – who thought his 3.0 litre Capri in his teen years was doing well if it got 18mpg – is a bit hard to acccept.

VW to announce Italdesign takeover on Tuesday

Volkswagen will announce Tuesday that it will take a 90 percent stake in Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A, people familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe. The Giugiaro family will retain 10 percent in the Italian design house that is famous for styling cars such as the first-generation VW Golf. VW plans to acquire control of Italdesign to help reach its goal of becoming the world's largest automaker by 2018 with sales of 10 million vehicles a year.

Who's Where: Dagoberto Tribia promoted to Director of Interior Design at GM Brazil Design

Dagoberto Tribia was promoted to Director of Interior Design at GM do Brasil Design on January 1, 2011. Working under the direction of Carlos Barba, Executive Director of Design, GM South America, Tribia has assumed responsibility for all interior programs at General Motors Brazil Design, both local and global. In doing so, he has also become the first Brazilian Design Director at the company.