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

Global GM chassis starts testing

By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 10 August 2006 09:26 General Motors' new Epsilon II chassis – to be employed around the world by Vauxhall/Opel, Saab, Chevrolet and other brands – has hit the road for testing. Pictured here beneath the next Chevrolet Malibu, the modular front- and all-wheel drive architecture will also underpin the Vauxhall Vectra and Saab's new 9-3 and 9-5. GM is grouping its core models to save cash, and harmonising production processes so that plants can churn out multiple models according to demand.

Official: Aston Martin Cygnet axed – fewer than 150 sold

Sir Stirling Moss was one of fewer than 150 Aston Martin Cygnet buyers Last month we reported that Aston Martin appeared to have axed their take on a supermini – the Aston Martin Cygnet – after just a couple of years. Now that news seems to be official after Reuters spoke to an Aston Martin source who also said the Cygnet sold so poorly that fewer than 150 were sold. That must make the Cygnet one of the poorest performing cars in any company’s sales history, especially as that fewer than 150 total was supposed to be 4,000 a year.

Persuaders Aston for sale

THE ASTON MARTIN used by Roger Moore in the 1970s television series The Persuaders is up for sale and expected to fetch £500,000. Finished in rare Bahama Yellow, the 1970 DBS was built specifically for use in the popular detective series. However, Aston Martin had yet to launch its DBS V8 model, so it took a standard DBS with the smaller six-cylinder engine and made it look identical to the newer and more powerful V8 from the outside.