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

Dual-clutch transmission put on hold at Chrysler

Chrysler Group has delayed introduction of a fuel-saving automatic transmission so it can make the shift patterns more palatable to U.S. drivers--the latest sign that a key tool in automakers' plans to meet tougher fuel-economy rules needs some fine-tuning. Two weeks ago, Ford Motor Co., which uses a similar dual-clutch transmission in its Fiesta and Focus, took a hit in Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey because many drivers complained about balky shifting.

CAR interviews Chris Bangle: what he did next (2009)

By Nargess Shahmanesh Banks Motor Industry 22 December 2009 12:30 Chris Bangle is a hard act to follow, even for Chris Bangle. Like him or loath him, the former BMW design director is one of the most famous car designers of our times, recognised for shaking the established status quo with his ‘flame surfacing’ and his radical take on car design.  Then in March 2009, after 16 solid years, Bangle announced his retirement from the Bavarian brand and – seemingly – car design.

CES: Cranking up Harman's QuantumLogic 3D surround-sound system

Yesterday we reported how Audi was readying a lavish 3D sound experience with 23 speakers and 1,400 watts of goosebump-inducing audio power. Not to be outdone, Harman had been quietly developing a system of its own: Quantum Logic 3D brings together 25 speakers and more than 2,000 watts of Tubthumping power to a new car near you, like driving inside Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. Sitting inside the demonstration BMW 7-Series that Harman painstakingly lifted into the Studio at the Palms, Global Audio Engineering vice president Phil Muzio explained, "great music is delivered in stereo, yet our consumer research indicates that people enjoy surround sound." QuantumLogic 3D's surround sound expands beyond the boundaries of the vehicle's cabin, providing "a sense of detail and spatial placement that you don't get in stereo." Five height component speakers mounted in the corners of the headliner, and above the rearview mirror, elevates audio beyond the confines of the roof, "almost like you're in a convertible," said Muzio.