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

News watch March 2010: today's auto industry news

Tuesday 30 March 2010• Mercedes has dismissed claims that its Maybach brand is for sale, after reports in the Chinese media claimed Chinese car company BYD was considering a bid for the upmarket offshoot. BYD has also denied the claims (Reuters)• Toyota president Akio Toyoda has promised his company will listen more carefully to customers and react faster in a bid to regain credibility after the Japanese car manufacturer was forced to recall millions of vehilces over safety fears (BBC)• The Obama administration is expected to unveil its finalised fuel economy and tailpipe emissions through to 2016 this week, to coincide with the opening of the 2010 New York auto show (Detroit News)  Monday 29 March 2010• Toyota has agreed to licence the hybrid technology in the Prius to Mazda, which will combine the electric system with its next-gen Sky engines. It’s part of Mazda’s plans to increase the average fuel economy of its vehicles by 30% by 2015 (compared to 2008 levels) and it hopes to have its first hybrid vehicle on sale in Japan by 2013 (Mazda)• Ford and Chinese car company Geely have signed a stock purchase agreement that will allow the latter to acquire 100% of Volvo (along with related assets including intellectual property rights).

Video: Jaguar XF clay model gets axed

Jaguar recently gave a trio of clay modelers the task of deconstructing the original model of their carefully and lovingly sculpted XF sedan by handing them axes and sledgehammers in front of a camera crew. The modelers – dressed in black t-shirts and jeans – are shown taking apart the model piece by piece, perhaps taking out their frustration with designers who feel the need to get a little too hands-on with their artisan handiwork. Perhaps some other car manufacturers could using this as inspiration to destroy some of their cars, maybe – naming no names – before reaching production.

2011 / 2012 Saab 9-5 SportCombi spied undisguised

Saab 9-5 SportCombi spotted near Trollhattan From a flurry of activity when Spyker finally got hold of Saab from GM nearly a year ago, news from Trollhattan has not been exactly flowing out in an endless stream. And good news hasn’t really been the keynote for the first year of Spyker’s ownership of Sweden’s second favourite car maker. The new Saab 9-5 – although well received in terms of design and equipment – was a bit of a let-down in terms of dynamics and comfort.