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

Lexus partners with celebrity chefs

Lexus is looking to whip up some attention for its products by hiring a team of noted cooks. The Lexus Culinary Masters team, made up of six celebrity chefs, debuted at last weekend's Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival in Monterey, Calif. Race-car driver Scott Pruett started off the weekend by taking a spin around the Laguna Seca racetrack in the Lexus LFA supercar with chefs Daniel Boulud and Michael Chiarello, "Each shares the same passion for perfecting their culinary craft as Lexus does with its luxury automobiles," Lexus vice president of marketing Dave Nordstrom said of the chefs involved.

Citroen AirCross – based on Citroen C3 Picasso – revealed

The Citroen AirCross - looks like a South America only crossover This could be a new car from Citroen, but it could just as easily be another of those oddities that car makers throw at the southern end of the Americas. Citroen in Brazil has revealed – via Twitter – the Citroen AirCross, which is basically a Citroen C3 Picasso with a bit of Crossover / SUV butchness thrown in to create a rugged urban crossover. And it’s based on the old Citroen C3, which makes us think there’s a chance this may not be a world car.

Volkswagen shows off new 1.8-liter engine for Jetta, Passat, and Beetle

Volkswagen is rolling out a new 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injected TSI engine which will debut in the Jetta, Beetle, and Passat later this year. This thrifty new engine will replace the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine now available in those models. But the 1.8-liter is no slouch: it produces the same 170 hp as the outgoing five-cylinder engine, while adding 7 lb-ft torque for a total of 184.