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

Mercedes CLA employs a cat in new advert to demonstrate its aerodynamic shape (video)

It’s the Mercedes CLA sliding cat advert We’re not entirely sure that Mercedes has chosen to focus attention on a cat in a new advert for the CLA to dig at Jaguar’s mickey-take of its chicken advert for Magic Body Control, but it’s definitely the cat that’s front and centre, regardless of the motivation. With the new Mercedes CLA boasting exceptional aerodynamic credentials, Mercedes has employed a stunt cat to slide up and over the CLA to demonstrate just how slippery their new compact saloon is. Already shown on TV in the UK at the weekend (during the new series of Britain’s Got Talent), the moggie in question – William, apparently – glides effortlessly over the CLA’s slippery shape to a soundtrack playing Rossini’s Duetto buffo di due gatti (which you may not think you know, but you do).

Project Car Hell, Rock-and-Stick-Simple Off-Road Trucks Edition: Land Rover or Scout?

Last week, the Hell Garage Demons went back 100 years for a couple of challenging centenarian projects, and the temperature of the Automotive Lake of Fire—conveniently located between the junkyard that always closes five minutes before you show up and the parts store whose counter guys have never heard of your make of car—accordingly rose another few hundred degrees. This week, we've decided to go with the kind of vehicles you'll want when society collapses and "rugged individualists" will need to drive many miles down a road of skulls and broken whiskey bottles to barter rat pelts for handy Clovis points. That's right, simple off-road trucks with few moving parts and a heritage of simplicity—none of this complicated computerized crap, modern alloys and independent suspension (at either end) here, just a steel box with enough running gear to make it move.

UPDATED: Aston Martin sold

By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 12 March 2007 09:38 Aston Martin is today under new owners, following the sale of Britain’s premier sports car company to an investment consortium. After 20 years of ownership, Ford divested itself of the brand, its facilities and its products, in a deal valuing Aston at £479m.   The new owner is a consortium led by David Richards, boss of automotive consultancy Prodrive, who helped to unite two private investment companies from Kuwait. Adeem Investment, which already owns the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, has a portfolio worth $1.5 bn.