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

First Fiat 500s will have stick shifts

The 2012 Fiat 500 , heading to U.S. dealerships later than first expected, is enduring another hiccup: The first units arriving in dealerships in late February will have manual transmissions, the company said. Moreover, only about 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships will be open when those first cars arrive, said Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand in North America, at the Detroit auto show last week.

Saab 9-2, just a pipe dream?

The Web is lit up today with stories of an upcoming Saab 9-2 because Spyker CEO and Saab owner Victor Muller evidently has sketched what he sees as a new small Saab. It could be a pipe dream, but Muller insists the Swedish automaker really wants it to happen. Muller has been quoted as calling it "a small car, a quirky car, a Saab in the truest sense of the word." Muller said the car would be a small front-drive hatch, a little bigger than a Mini.

McLaren MP4-12C named

The McLaren P11 has now been named - it will be the McLaren MP4-12C Update 9/9/09: McLaren has now released full details and pictures of the McLaren MP4-12C Update 10/0/09: Ron Dennis talks about the MP4-12c and McLaren Automotive’s future plans. But of course it’s about McLaren history, and more than a passing nod to its F1 heritage. The McLaren F1 cars are all dubbed MP4, but I think we’d prefer to have seen something like McLaren F2.