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

BMW's new M engine needs a better voice

BMW's M division claims its new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine is every bit as good -- if not better -- than the glorious, naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8 powerplant it replaces in the new M3 sedan and M4 coupe. The figures are certainly impressive. They say it kicks out 424 hp and more than 25 percent extra torque, with what is described as significantly more than 369 lb-ft below 2,000 rpm.

Volkswagen aims for lofty Beetle sales

The attractive new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is expected to sell as many as 50,000 to 60,000 units a year in the United States. The car launches this fall. That level will be a big improvement over the latter years of the outgoing model, in which sales dwindled to just 15,000 a year, but it remains lower than the record figure of 83,000 achieved 18 months after the launch of the revised model.

McLaren GT comes home to Woking in England

The picturesque town of Woking, Surrey, in the south of England is home to the McLaren Technology Center (MTC), the McLaren Automotive factory that builds the MP4-12C supercar and, soon, a dedicated facility for McLaren GT. McLaren GT is a branch within the McLaren Automotive Group, started in 2011, that supplies MP4-12C GT3s for competition. The space is a 60,000-square-foot facility that housed McLaren Racing from 1987 to 2004.