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

Japan Car: Designs for a Crowded Globe

The Science Museum in London, UK is hosting the Japan Car: Designs for the Crowed Globe exhibition, sponsored by seven Japanese automobile manufacturers. An exploration of the car as a 'mobile cell', the exhibition has been conceived by graphic designer Kenya Hara and architect Shigeru Ban to show how Japanese design reflects the 'soil and spirit' of Japan, depicted by concept cars and models specific to the Japanese market. Speaking to Car Design News, Shigeru Ban explained how the automobile was chosen as the central element to the exhibition because it is a reflection of Japanese culture and tradition.

VW Design Vision Golf GTI (2013) 493bhp Golf revealed

As CAR reported in our scoop last week, VW will unveil a higher-performance Golf GTI hot hatch at the 2013 Wörthersee show, and here we have the first sketches of the super-Golf. Called the VW Design Vision Golf GTI, the concept packs close to 500bhp and can outrun a Porsche 911. It's by far the most extreme Golf hot hatch since the Bentley-engined GTI W12 concept of 2007.

BMW Zagato coupe bows at Lake Como

Italian flair, German precision and a somewhat sobering dose of reality—that's the ethos behind the striking BMW Zagato coupe revealed on Friday at the glamorous Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. The one-off coupe features elegant, sporty styling that blends traditional elements from both BMW and Zagato, which each have long histories of working with partners to produce impressive cars. But, this coupe is more than just a design exercise.