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

Ex Ford, Mazda designer to head styling at Renault

Former Ford Motor and Mazda designer Laurens van den Acker will succeed Patrick le Quement as head of design at French automaker Renault. Van den Acker, 43, quit as head of design at Mazda earlier this month. He will join Renault on May 15 and assume le Quement's full responsibilities starting on Nov.

Mercedes-Benz CLA180 cheats the wind

Mercedes-Benz claims its new CLA180 BlueEfficiency Edition will be the world's most aerodynamically efficient production road car when the European deliveries begin in June. The swoopy four-door sedan forms part of an initial five-car lineup of CLA models set for a public debut at the Geneva motor show in March. With an official drag co-efficient of 0.22, the CLA180 Blue Efficiency Edition undercuts the existing aerodynamic champion, the Mercedes B180 BlueEfficiency with the optional eco technology package, which claims a 0.24 Cd.

Lexus LS 600h Landaulet – a definite one-off

Lexus LS 600h Landaulet - fit for a Prince If this had been Audi you’d have expected that a Landaulet would be their next niche model. But thankfully this is Lexus, so they’ve just made a one-off Lexus LS 600h Landaulet to ferry Prince Albert of Monaco around at his upcoming nuptials, rather than using it to herald many more Landaulet models to come. Now if you’re going to be ferried around in anything – as opposed to driving it yourself – cars for the purpose actually don’t come a lot better than a Lexus LS 600h.