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

Concept Car of the Week: Pontiac Banshee (1964)

In 1964, the Pontiac Motor Division was headed John DeLorean, who would go on to become one of the automotive industry's most divisive figures. He believed that Pontiac needed a compact, exciting car to compete with the newly launched Mustang and approved funding for the experimental Pontiac two-seat sports-car program, codenamed XP-833. Inspired by another GM show car, the rear-engined Corvair Monza GT from 1963, the lines of the XP-833 were a perfect example of the Coke-bottle bodystyle: long hood, short deck and sweeping fender curves.

Volkswagen Beetle R: Frankfurt debut planned?

2012 VW Beetle R - a Hot Beetle However hard they tried – and they did for a while – Volkswagen never managed to make the reborn VW Beetle anything more than a novelty; a girly car with a flower vase for girly drivers. That was enough to make the Beetle sell in almost respectable numbers in both North and South America, but it consigned VW’s retro effort to the novelty bin in Europe, where we tend to know a cynical marketing ploy from a real car. But Volkswagen seem intent on making the 212 VW Beetle rather more credible.

Bruce Meyer: A good guy gets recognition

Bruce Meyer, one of the best ambassadors of the collector-car hobby, will be honored as an "Automotive Icon" at the 30th anniversary of the Dana Point Concours d'Elegance, June 23-24, 2012, in Dana Point, Calif. Meyer's list of boosterism for the car hobby is long and impressive. He was the founding chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum and founder of the museum's support group the Checkered Flag 200, he was inducted into the Dry Lakes Hall of Fame and the Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame, and he has driven in the Italian Mille Miglia, the French Tour Auto, the Goodwood Festival of Speed and on the Bonneville Salt Flats in the United States.