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

New Mercedes-Benz S-class spotted in SoCal

The new Mercedes-Benz S-class must be hustling toward the developmental-cycle finish line, because it's been spotted en masse in places such as Toronto (where it must be undergoing cold-weather testing) and Irvine, Calif. (where it must be gauging the interest of Benz-crazy vox populi). Because as devoid as it is of bodywork-breaking pillboxes, camera-obfuscating swirl paint, and surly engineers, the fact that it's seen here in little more than some sticky paper and a pair of cheap sunglasses on the driver means that the elder statesman of the automotive world is readying its next debut.

Tesla Model S turns in to Jaguar XF

Jaguar XF - or is it a Tesla? Tesla seem convinced – or at least they’re doing all they can to convince the public – that the Tesla Model S is a soon to be reality, despite all in the industry saying they can’t deliver what they are offering – a high-end, luxury, high-spec sports saloon with a 300 mile range – for the sort of money they claim. That money – as we learned recently – is to be $69,500 for the Tesla S with the 300 mile battery, a price that’s had many scratching their heads over how Tesla can stick enough laptop batteries in the Model S to go that far, and how they can do it at a price that’s a good thirty per cent less than the ‘Lotus-with-batteries’ Tesla Roadster.

Concept Car of the Week: Mazda Taiki (2007)

Mazda had been doing fantastically well with its concepts since the end of 2006, and its offering for the 2007 Tokyo motor show didn't buck the trend. The fourth in the 'Nagare' series that explored the idea of 'Flow, it lined up on the Mazda stand with its older brothers for the first time, and was understandably a most impressive display and one of the highlights of this show. Here's what Nick Hull had to say about the Taiki at the time.