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

BMW, Daimler experiment with upscale rent-by-the-ride

Two European luxury brands are tiptoeing into car sharing, a radical move for carmakers whose business for the past 100 years has been selling to individuals. German archrivals Daimler AG and BMW AG have launched sharing programs. The automakers say the move was prompted by changing attitudes about car ownership, especially among young buyers, and increased urban congestion.

Brabus tunes Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG to 394 hp

It was only a matter of time before German tuning house Brabus looked at the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG and said: nahh, it's just not powerful enough. Recall that the base CLA 45 AMG already produces 355-hp and 332 lb-ft of torque courtesy of its modestly sized 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four (an impressive feat by itself, yielding the highest output of any production four-cylinder engine), which gives it the ability to get to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. Given its $48,375 price tag for stateside 4Matic all-wheel drive version, many would call that a bargain for the performance stats provided.

Government to trial electric cars

Cabinet ministers could soon swap their luxury limousines for electric vehicles, in a bid to set an eco-friendly example. A Whitehall source told the London Evening Standard that electric car trials are likely to start as soon as spring. On Bing: see pictures of electric cars Find out how much a used electric car costs on Auto Trader London currently boasts a network of 800 charging points – but three out of four went unused in 2012.