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

Mercedes-Benz axes Maybach

High ranking Mercedes-Benz sources have confirmed to Autoweek that the underperforming Maybach brand will be officially killed off in 2013. The decision to disband Mercedes-Benz’s upper luxury marque comes after a decade of disappointing sales for the Maybach 57 and 62 and a recent decision from the German car maker’s chairman Dieter Zetsche not to push ahead with the development replacement models – the likes of which were tentatively due out in 2014 – owing to what one insider describes as a “positive move to focus greater attention on the Mercedes-Benz brand” . “We’ve come to the conclusion that it is better to cut our losses with Maybach than to continue into an uncertain future with a brand that has failed to live up to original sales expectations," the insider said.

Volvo XC30 for 2012

It's starting to look as if the baby Volvo Crossover - the XC30 - is getting close The rumour mill has been working on a smaller crossover/SUV from Volvo for a long time – since just about the time that the Volvo C30 first hit the road. And it’s a car that makes a lot of sense, especially in the current market. So it’s not any sort of surprise to see the rumour resurface, but we’re a bit peeved to have missed (until now) the comment that’s being attributed to Lex Kerssemakers – Volvo’s Overseas Corporate Strategy President – from Geneva when he apparently said “There will be some further expansion of the XC range in the near future”.

First Sight: Renault Clio

The Clio is perhaps the most successful and certainly the longest standing model of the Renault range and this is the new third-generation version of this European market small B-sector hatchback. When the first generation Clio replaced the Renault 5 in 1990 it was the smallest car in the Renault line up, now the Clio is one of a small range of similarly-sized Renault models all based off the same platform shared with the Nissan Micra/March and Cube.   Specification The Clio will be launched first as a three-door with the five-door to follow, and will be available with a choice of petrol 1.2-litre (75hp), 1.4-litre (98hp) and 1.6-litre (113hp), and a 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine in a choice of three power outputs: 70hp, 86hp and 106hp.