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

Auto Show: Los Angeles Auto Show announces 'Design Los Angeles' as 2005 theme

Recognizing the global influence of Southern California as an automotive design center, the Los Angeles Auto Show has announced 'Design Los Angeles' as the theme for the January 2005 show. The theme is the beginning of an ongoing program to establish automobile design as an integral part of the LA Auto Show. The region, long hailed as a leader of creativity and consumer trends, is home to the world's largest concentration of manufacturer design studios representing automakers from North America, Europe and Asia.

New Aston Martin Vanquish Volante arrives – costs £200k

The New Aston Martin Vanquish Volante (pictured) costs £200k It’s almost exactly a year since the Aston Martin Vanquish arrived as a replacement for the DBS, and now we get it’s convertible sibling – the new Aston Martin Vanquish Volante. Aston are claiming the new Vanquish Volante is the stiffest Aston convertible ever and have also managed to keep the usual weight increase for a soft top down to just 9kg by giving the Volante a full carbon fibre body. The result of that is the Volante manages to produce exactly the same performance figures as the Vanquish Coupe – 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and 183mph – from its 565php, 6.0 litre V12 and shouldn’t, we hope, shake and shimmy in the way many Aston convertibles do in the process.

Porsche Cayenne S V8 Diesel on the way

Porsche Cayenne S V8 Diesel on the way Porsche are planning to launch a V8 Diesel Cayenne S in Europe, expected to be based on the Touareg V8, to take on the BMW X5 M50d. The original Cayenne Diesel always seemed a bit of a let-down for a Porsche, even a diesel Porsche. The market imperative was there, no doubt, but the performance was not exactly stunning.