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

Ariel's Atom returns faster than ever

BRITISH firm Ariel has announced an upgraded version of its sensational Atom sportscar that is faster than ever, making it one of the quickest cars on sale today. The Atom 3.5R showcases a number of upgrades over the outgoing model which contribute to the sensational performance. The 2.0-litre Honda V-TEC engine has had its supercharger revised to give 350bhp and over 240lb.ft of torque, while the gearbox is now a six-speed paddleshift system that can manage five downshifts in less than a second.

2014 Kia Sportage gets a mild facelift

2014 Kia Sportage (pictured) gets a mild facelift The Kia Sportage is Kia’s best-selling model in the UK, and Kia are keen to keep things that way so they’ve given the Sportage a bit of a tweak for 2014. The changes are quite modest – just enough to mark this Sportage as a 2014 model – with a new version of the ‘Tiger Nose’ grill with added chrome and restyled mesh, better back lights, new 16-18″ alloys and LED tail lights on the top-end models. The interior has been given a bit of a lift too with new soft touch trim on the doors, nano paint finish on the dashboard and centre console, heated steering wheel and electric driver’s seat on top-end models and repositioned audio tweeters for better sound.

Brazil plant for Jaguar Land Rover

JAGUAR LAND ROVER (JLR) is to become the first UK car-maker to open a manufacturing facility in Brazil. JLR is investing £240 million in the initiative, which will see the development of a plant that will produce up to 24,000 vehicles a year. The factory, based in the city of Itatiaia, will initially employ 400 people, with the first vehicles due to come off the assembly line in 2016.