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

2014 Mercedes S Class LIVE reveal

The new S Class (W222) gets a bit longer than the current S Class (by 20mm), a bit wider (28mm) and a bit lower (25mm) but the wheelbase of the standard S Class stays the same at 3035mm with the long wheelbase S Class getting an extra 130mm for extra sprawling room. There will be a variety of engines on offer in the new S Class (from parsimonious 4-cylinders to mighty V12s) but we’re expecting at launch that just three will be on offer – the S350 diesel with a 255bhp V6, the S400 with a 300bhp V6 petrol and the S500 with a 4.7 litre turbo petrol with 450bhp. In terms of styling, Mercedes appear to have taken away much of the bulbous look of the current S Class and replaced it with a more flowing shape, but one that’s still very much S Class.

A look at future Cadillacs

Cadillac revealed another take on a future large, rear-wheel-drive car during the Pebble Beach weekend—the ultra-cool Elmiraj four-seater coupe. This is Cadillac's second such concept in a couple years, after it showed the Ciel convertible at Pebble in 2011. Yet we hear that the first production car to ride on the so-called Omega platform will be a sedan scheduled to arrive in 2015 as a 2016 model.

Volt, Leaf win top safety rating in crash test

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars won the highest safety ratings in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, putting them in the top 57 percent of models tested so far this year. About 80 of 140 vehicles tested among 2011-2012 models have received the Institute's "top safety pick," the group's award for state-of-the-art crash protection that exceeds federal safety rules, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. The Volt and Leaf received a "good" rating -- the highest of four rankings -- on each of four crash tests, said the Institute, which is funded by auto insurers including State Farm, All-State and Geico.