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

Tokyo Auto Salon pits performance autos against hybrids

The world's other big January auto show, the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, opened its doors to tuner enthusiasts in mid-month with a record 402 exhibitors. The Auto Salon fuses numerous styles, but the overriding theme this year was hybrid cars, with customized Toyota Priuses and Honda Insights at every turn. Good old-fashioned engine tuning is alive and well in Japan, where even new sports cars are being heavily modified, with cars such as the KRL Mitsubishi Evolution X and the HKS Nissan GT-R both boasting in excess of 600 hp.

Japan quake delays redesigned Nissan Titan until 2014 model year

The March earthquake in Japan has forced NIssan to delay the introduction of the revived Titan pickup until the 2014 model year. The quake required a redeployment of engineers to get Nissan production back into operation, says a top Nissan executive. "We will come out a little later now," Andy Palmer, Nissan Motor Co.'s executive vice president for vehicle planning and program management, told Automotive News during the Los Angeles auto show.

Chrysler to build smaller version of Pentastar V6

The Chrysler Group plans to produce a smaller version of its 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, likely at a plant in suburban Detroit, according to a union official and a source familiar with the project. The new 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 is set to debut in the replacement for the Jeep Liberty, the union official said. Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has said the Liberty successor will be introduced in January at the 2013 Detroit auto show.