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

General Motors Europe opens new Design Center

Being a car designer is often percieved as a glamourous occupation, but few people realise that this typically means working in some of the least inspiring places. Wolfsburg, Detroit and Birmingham are just a few of the locations that are home to some of the largest populations of car designers around the world. GM Europe's location in Russelsheim, Germany is also one of the less glamourous locations but the new design center building opened this week aims to redress the otherwise rather industrial feel of the place where tomorrow's Opels and Saabs are created.

WINTER BREAKDOWN EXPENSE FOR USED CAR OWNERS

SOME VEHICLE components are nearly three times as likely to fail during the winter months as in the summer leading to potentially expensive repairs for the owners of older vehicles, according to Warranty Direct. The specialist insurer and warranty provider analysed 50,000 live automotive policies and found that ignition coils are 283 per cent more likely to fail between December and February than between June and August. Fuel injection pumps, thermostats and a number of electrical components are also more likely to suffer in the cold leading to an average winter repair bill of £408.60, the company has warned.

Asian brands top annual Consumer Reports rankings on reliability

Honda, Acura, Porsche and Scion topped the annual Consumer Reports reliability survey released on Tuesday. At the other end of the spectrum, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz were deemed among the worst. Findings are based on responses about 1.3 million vehicles owned or leased by subscribers to Consumer Reports or its Web site.