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

Porsche buyers put the brakes on stop-start technology

By Chris Chilton Motor Industry 23 June 2008 18:56 Direct injection and a clever new PDK dual-clutch gearbox have cemented the new 911’s reputation as the greenest performance car around, but Porsche engineers are being hampered from making the iconic sports car even cleaner by the public’s reluctance to accept further green technology Engineers at the launch of the facelifted 911 told CAR that fitting a BMW-style start-stop system could chop a further 10g/km from the Carrera’s 225g/km CO2 rating but that performance car buyers weren’t keen on having such overtly planet-conscious tech on their cars. Start-stop works by cutting the engine when the car’s stationary in traffic, and restarting automatically when you touch the pedals to move off again. Every manual transmission-equipped BMW 1-series comes with the technology, excepting the truly high performance versions.

2013 Mini Cooper Countryman offers seating for five

The 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman is officially for sale, at a cost of $22,700 including $700 in destination charges. The Mini Cooper Countryman will be available with any of Mini’s three engine options for 2013. The base model will get the 1.6-liter making 121 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque, while the Countryman S will get a turbocharged version making 181 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque.

Fiat at the Paris motor show 2008

By Ben Barry Motor Shows 03 October 2008 09:29 No new cars for Fiat at Paris, so the spotlight fell on environmental initiatives. A five-times life-size white Fiat 500 presided over a stand occupied entirely by pearl white 500s, Bravos, Sedicis, Cromas and Qubos. These cars were set on a Simpsons sky-like floor of blue and white over which the usual high quality of Fiat ladies strolled.