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

Excessive accessories are on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon

The Japanese tuning industry may finally be emerging from the economic slump if this year's Tokyo Auto Salon is an accurate barometer. The three-day spectacular--Japan's equivalent of SEMA--attracted nearly a quarter-million visitors, all eager to get a glimpse of the latest cars and the newest excessive accessories for 2011. Here's a recap: The Honda CR-Z was, without a doubt, the car of the show, and some versions were tuned to deliver up to 300 hp, thanks to turbocharging or supercharging kits.

Mercedes-Benz axes Maybach

High ranking Mercedes-Benz sources have confirmed to Autoweek that the underperforming Maybach brand will be officially killed off in 2013. The decision to disband Mercedes-Benz’s upper luxury marque comes after a decade of disappointing sales for the Maybach 57 and 62 and a recent decision from the German car maker’s chairman Dieter Zetsche not to push ahead with the development replacement models – the likes of which were tentatively due out in 2014 – owing to what one insider describes as a “positive move to focus greater attention on the Mercedes-Benz brand” . “We’ve come to the conclusion that it is better to cut our losses with Maybach than to continue into an uncertain future with a brand that has failed to live up to original sales expectations," the insider said.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 details leak out

Details about the high-performance 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, taken from the dealer ordering guide, are spreading on the Internet courtesy of fans on the Camaro5 message board. Here are some of the highlights: -- The LSA supercharged 6.2-liter V8 will deliver 580 hp and 556 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel. It will connect with a Tremec six-speed manual transmission as standard, while a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic will be optional.