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

Posh car 'pushes up house prices'

HAVING a posh car in the driveway can push up property prices, according to a survey. As many as a third of people reckon having a luxury motor outside their home can add to the value of their house, the poll by car rental company Avis found. Around a third of the 2,000 adults surveyed also thought a flash car would help sell a property.

First Fiat 500s will have stick shifts

The 2012 Fiat 500 , heading to U.S. dealerships later than first expected, is enduring another hiccup: The first units arriving in dealerships in late February will have manual transmissions, the company said. Moreover, only about 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships will be open when those first cars arrive, said Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand in North America, at the Detroit auto show last week.

Hyundai plans bigger V8 for Genesis, Equus

When the Hyundai Equus luxury sedan goes on sale this fall, it will be powered by the 4.6-liter Tau V8 from the Genesis sedan. But at an unspecified later date, both the Equus and Genesis sedans will get a new 5.0-liter version of the Tau engine making 429 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. Hyundai also is working on all-wheel drive for its rear-wheel-drive cars, which is to say the Genesis and Equus, which ride on different versions of the same platform.