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

Ford Fiesta eWheelDrive gets wheel hub electric motors

The Ford Fiesta eWheelDrive – a driveable research vehicle built by Ford and German specialists Schaeffler – may be a regular supermini in size, but it points towards a potential future EV which is much more compact and very manoeuvrable. Ford has taken a regular Fiesta and dumped its powertrain, replacing it with a battery bank where the engine would be and fitted a pair of in-hub electric motors on the rear wheels. But the plan is to build new cars with the batteries under the floor which frees up the space under the bonnet which can then be all but removed to create a very compact urban car that still has space for four.

Maserati Alfieri is a car Maserati MUST make: Geneva Motor Show

The Maserati Alfieri Concept looks a cracker Maserati has a proud history and, even though it makes some very appealing cars once more, it really doesn’t have a proper sports car in its range. But the Maserati Alfieri could change that. Named after Alfieri Maserati – one of the founders of Maserati – the Alfieri  is a beautifully clothed sports car based on a shortened Granturismo MC Stradale chassis taking its inspiration from Maserati’s history but using it not to create a pastiche of the past but a credible view of the future.

Economic downturn might hit plans for Porsche small roadster

Porsche's decision on whether to build an entry-level roadster will depend on the global economy, CEO Matthias Mueller said. Mueller said that if the automaker decides to go ahead with the car, sales would begin at the earliest in the third quarter of 2014, but probably later. A decision on production will depend on how the global economic situation pans out, particularly in relation to the auto industry, Mueller said.