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

Nissan hosts Taxi of Tomorrow Design Expo

Back in May, we reported that Nissan had successfully fended off competition from Ford and Karsan to be crowned New York's ‘Taxi of tomorrow'. In collaboration with an all-new infrastructure, the NV200 light commercial vehicle would serve the Big Apple from 2013. In preparation of this, the NV200 will be displayed at the Tomorrow Design Expo next month, allowing New Yorkers an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their new yellow cabs. The NV200 features a variety of amenities above and beyond the outgoing Crown Victorias, with the NV200's equipment list ranging from dual-zone climate control and new exterior lighting that includes the standard availability indicators and 'trouble light' (that silently notifies nearby police when the driver is in danger) to a 'horn light' to reduce horn usage and noise pollution.

One Lap of the Web: Mock the Week Edition

-- Mazda Europe designer Peter Birthwhistle talks about the future of Mazda: potential hybrid and electric powertrains for the Skyactiv-obsessed company, and how we'll all be driving Mazda-branded pods in the 22nd century. But he also mentions, rather interestingly, how certain Mazdas capture a quintessentially long-hood, RWD look -- and not just the Miata, either, which is RWD. No, it's the exhaust systems on those Skyactiv engines that force a longer, larger hood compartment, and the "long, flowing looks" not usually found on FWD engines.

2013 Maserati Quattroporte night testing (video)

Maserati has released a video of the 2013 Quattroporte out night testing ahead of a Detroit Auto Show public debut. The new Quattroporte is bigger and more powerful than the current model and leaves Maserati room to introduce a smaller version – the new Maserati Ghibli – to take on the sports saloons from BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar. To be honest, the video tells us little we don’t already know about the new Quattroporte (except perhaps that it has frameless glass in the side windows), but it does indicate how keen Maserati are to keep the new Quattroporte’s PR momentum on the move ahead of its debut.