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

Smart wins 2011 LA Design Challenge

Daimler's Smart division won this year's LA Design Challenge, the brief of which was to create ‘Hollywood's Hottest New Movie Car'. The entries were judged on how well the vehicle reflected its brand attributes relative to the plot, how the vehicle related to the target audience, and the level of imagination found within the entry. Befitting the ‘Hollywood movie car' theme, the uniqueness of the story concept and the character development of the vehicle were also factors that helped determine the overall winner.

Volkswagen plans return of Microbus

An expanded lineup of Beetle-themed cars are in Volkswagen's future, including a Microbus model that we have seen in various concept forms over the past decade, according to Auto Express. When Volkswagen renews the Beetle in 2019, it will also debut a crossover, coupe and a mini-MPV, all based on the MQB architecture that underpins the new Golf. Even though plans of an MPV rebirth date back to the introduction of a number of concepts in the early 2000s, Volkswagen hadn't pulled the trigger on putting an homage to the Bus (known as the Kombi in most of the world, or Camper in the U.K.) intro production for a number of reasons.

International artists give Volvo XC60 a makeover

A 2014 Volvo XC60 was given a makeover at the third annual Volvo Art Session in Zurich, Switzerland, by a team of international artists. The event, which took place at Zurich's central train station, carried theme of ‘Designed Around You' and placed a white XC60 in front of a white dropback canvas. Artists were then set the task of transforming the car into a personal work of art, but which would only exist until the next artist took over and painted over it.