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

Mini Cooper SD (2011): the faster diesel Mini

Mini today finally went official with the high-performance diesels we scooped last year. The Cooper SD trim is available across the Mini range, on the hatch, convertible, Clubman estate and Countryman junior SUV. It's a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel generating 141bhp and 225lb ft from 1750-2700rpm.

Mercedes CLA driving Mercedes-Benz new car sales

New Mercedes CLA (pictured) is driving Mercedes-Benz new car sales Mercedes had a rocky road a few years ago as it changed its focus from quality to cost-cutting, so the decision by Mercedes to move in to more compact premium cars in a serious way can’t have been the easiest decision to make regardless of the rising demand for compact premium cars. But Mercedes decision and investment is now starting to reap big rewards as Mercedes start moving from an investment in to a sales cycle, with sales of their new compact cars – the new A-Class and new CLA – proving to be a real driving force. Mercedes is the UK has made all time record sales in the UK in 2013, reaching 100,000 car sales for the first time in a year, and managing that by the end of November (which in itself was the best November Mercedes had ever had in the UK).

Toyota studies a rear-drive entry for Scion

Scion vice president Jack Hollis is a former Stanford and AAA baseball player who, but for an injury, coulda been a contender, coulda played in the show. He's not one to boast--he didn't tell us of his baseball days, we got it from someone else. Nonetheless, you'd imagine the 6-foot-2-inch auto exec would have a pretty good self-image.