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

Automakers need love, not just quality, Strategic Vision study shows

Strategic Vision, a company that studies how and why consumers make decisions, released its yearly Total Quality Index on July 12, and the results might be surprising. The study found that love--how much or what part of a car that people like--is more important than the number of problems a car has when choosing a vehicle. For example Ford, which was a quality leader in the study, received a number of complaints about its Sync system.

Autoweek's guide to Chicago Auto Show hospitality

Note:In preparation for the Chicago Auto Show, we asked Windy City hospitality industry insider Erik Nelson where to stay, drink and eat. Here's what he said: Where to eat: Publican: thepublicanrestaurant.com 837 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607 (312) 733-9555 This staple in the Fulton Market district of Chicago offers the “holy trinity” of pork, oysters and beer. Publican has a bustling feel of an upscale public house with communal tables and many sharable plates.

Aston Martin & Mercedes join forces

Aston Martin Production will soon see an injection of Mercedes DNA This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about a partnership between Aston Martin and Mercedes, but according to Car & Driver it’s now just about a done deal. As long ago as March 2009 we reported that Mercedes supplied the basis for the Lagonda SUV Concept (a Mercedes GL), and six months later we reported that Aston Martin were working on a Mercedes S-Class based Lagonda saloon. More recently we reported that the GL-based Lagonda SUV was back on and that Mercedes wanted Aston Martin to put together the next generation of Maybach.