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

2012 Audi R8 facelift, more power & S-tronic ‘box

Audi R8 getting a facelift - and more power - in 2012 The supercar with a mainstream car maker’s badge attached that is the Audi R8 has been something of a success as a halo car for the Audi range since it arrived in V8 form in 2007 (well, probably 2008 by the time most customer cars turned up). Since the original V8 R8 arrived we’ve had an absolute deluge – in supercar terms – of R8 models from Audi including the R8 V8, R8 V8 Spyder, R8 V10, R8 V10 Spyder and the rather costly R8 GT and R8 GT Spyder. But through that time the engines – apart from in the R8 GT – have remained the same, as has the woeful R-Tronic gearbox.

Subaru Impreza

Another follow up from an earlier teaser shot is this, the 2012 Subaru Impreza, which is making its debut at the NY auto show. Digressing further from its infamous rally-bred history, the latest Impreza is being billed as the most economical AWD car for sale in the US market, and Subaru is also keen to stress the increased ride comfort and interior space of this model, which is claimed to offer unprecedented levels of refinement from an Impreza. The cars exterior, however, does have some nostalgic references, with the bold arches said to 'emphasize its sporty roots and standard All-Wheel Drive performance'.

Concept Car of the Week: Plymouth XNR (1960)

In the early ‘50s, both GM and Ford offered attractive and exciting sports cars, symbols of a proud post-war America. Ford had the Thunderbird and GM the Corvette, but Chrysler's approach was more pragmatic, producing cars that were practical and robust but also slow. After commissioning a long series of concepts designed by Italian carrozzeria Ghia, Chrysler gave a free hand to its design chief Virgil Exner to inject some life into its lineup.