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

Mercedes-Benz axes Maybach

High ranking Mercedes-Benz sources have confirmed to Autoweek that the underperforming Maybach brand will be officially killed off in 2013. The decision to disband Mercedes-Benz’s upper luxury marque comes after a decade of disappointing sales for the Maybach 57 and 62 and a recent decision from the German car maker’s chairman Dieter Zetsche not to push ahead with the development replacement models – the likes of which were tentatively due out in 2014 – owing to what one insider describes as a “positive move to focus greater attention on the Mercedes-Benz brand” . “We’ve come to the conclusion that it is better to cut our losses with Maybach than to continue into an uncertain future with a brand that has failed to live up to original sales expectations," the insider said.

Ariel Atom 500 V8 (2008): more details and photos

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 28 May 2009 10:34 British sports car specialist Ariel is beavering away on its latest adrenaline hit: a V8 version of its Atom. As if the regular Atom wasn’t barking enough, the new Atom 500 features a new 3.0-litre V8 producing 500bhp (hence the name), which propels it deep into ‘fastest car in the world‘ territory. Ariel has shown one exterior image of the Atom 500 already (pictured), but today is the first glimpse of the new V8 engine.

Fiat plans new high-performance Abarth models

Abarth Abarth, the tuning company owned by Fiat, is looking to grow the number of models it offers including a hot version of the 500L supermini, MSN Cars can reveal. Speaking exclusively to MSN Cars, Marco Magnanini, the European boss of Abarth, hinted that other models from Fiat could be given the Abarth treatment. When quizzed about the possibility of an Abarth 500L, he said: “The 500 family will offer us options.