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

VW to intro Passat BlueMotion Concept at Detroit auto show

While performance heads are anxiously awaiting the North American debut of the hot-heat Mk VII Golf R at the Detroit auto show, Volkswagen's Passat BlueMotion Concept offers never-before technology in the Yank/Canuck family sedan segment: a four-pot motor with cylinder deactivation. Based on the EA211 1.4L turbo motor we sampled last year in the Euro-market Audi A3 sedan, the Passat BlueMotion Concept's engine is capable of shutting down the middle two cylinders during cruise, and features the Jetta Hybrid's gearbox, a twin-clutch unit capable of decoupling from the engine during off-throttle coasting. In the Passat's application, the 1.4 puts out 150 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque; VW suggests its highway fuel economy will stand at 42 mpg.

2013 Porsche Panamera facelift caught on video

The facelift for the Porsche Panamera is due to arrive later in 2012 (or early 2013) and has been caught on video in Stuttgart. It’s three years since the Porsche Panamera was revealed at the 2009 Shanghai Motor Show and it’s time for Porsche’s big saloon car to get an overhaul. The 2013 Panamera, complete with cosmetic tweaks and oily updates, is something we expected to see at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, but with what looks like almost complete cars popping up in Stuttgart perhaps the tweaked Panamera is going to bow in at Paris in September instead?

Has the McLaren P1 lapped the Nurburgring in a record 6 minutes 47 seconds?

Has the McLaren P1 lapped the Nurburgring in a record 6 minutes 47 seconds? We knew McLaren were back at the Nurburgring with the P1 in an attempt to make good on Ron Dennis’s promise that the P1 would lap the ‘Ring in under 7 minutes. It appears McLaren has already tried to set a sub-7 minute time with the P1 but could only manage 7:04s so, with the firts P1s now in customer hands – and full performance specs revealed – the final piece of the jigsaw (apart form a Top Gear lap record) is to set a great time at the Nurburgring.