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

New Mercedes A Class: Geneva 2012

New Mercedes A Class at Geneva We catch up with the new Mercedes A Class (2012) at Geneva and take a look at Mercedes’ answer to the BMW 1 Series. We had lots about the new Mercedes A Class in the run up to Geneva, but now we’ve had the chance to see it in Switzerland we’re even more convinced it could have the measure of the latest BMW 1 Series. The current A Class was very much a car bought by middle-aged, middle-class Mercedes owners for ‘er indoors.

Hyundai Genesis, Ford F-150 win awards at the Detroit auto show

On Sunday of the Detroit Auto Show, Hyundai Genesis won the 2009 North American Car of the Year award, nipping the Ford Flex by a miniscule nine-point margin. The redesigned Ford F-150 pickup, the odds-on favorite in the truck category, was named 2009 North American Truck of the Year. Genesis beat out the Flex and the third-place finisher, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, despite being the first Korean car ever nominated for the award.

Porsche Panamera designer focused on rear-seat passengers

There's no mistaking it for anything but a Porsche, but with four doors and four full seats, the Panamera is like no previous Porsche. Styled by a team of in-house designers under the direction of Michael Mauer, the Panamera is 195.7 inches long, 76.0 inches wide and 55.8 inches tall--making it slightly shorter but wider and lower than the Maserati Quattroporte, with which it shares a coupelike profile. As with all such silhouettes, "the real challenge is giving the rear-seat passengers enough headroom," says Mauer.