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

2014 Beijing Motor Show: weird and wonderful Chinese cars

The Chinese auto industry might not be the most important in the world yet, but it’s getting there. It’s already the top market for a large number of top-tier brands like Mercedes-Benz, and the industry has progressed to the point where companies including Nissan are setting up brands specifically to cater to the needs of Chinese buyers. But as far as Chinese brands go, things are very much a work in progress.

New Porsche 911 Speedster reportedly in the works

When European-car importer Max Hoffman suggested to Porsche that the American audience might like a cheaper, open-top version of the company's 356, Stuttgart responded with the Speedster. And while every Porsche partisan is a special snowflake -- some love road-going racers like the 904, others can't imagine life without a roof-rack-equipped 912, others go gaga for anything with a legit, lift-off Targa top, and some folks just really, really, really love 924s -- the Speedster's the light, lovable kid brother for which any fan of the marque has a measure of affection. Porsche knows it, and as such, they've introduced limited Speedster models of every 911 series since the 3.2 Carrera -- except for the oft-maligned 996 (which is still loved by its proponents, IMS-bearing issues aside).

Mazda Furai concept sneak preview

Mazda Furai concept By Ben Whitworth First Official Pictures 12 December 2007 11:37 Mazda will pull the wraps of yet another concept car at Detroit – and has released this teaser shot to whet our appetites. Called the Furai – that’s Japanese for ‘the sound of the wind’ - the car was inspired by Mazda’s claim that on any given weekend, there are more Mazdas and Mazda‑powered racing cars in action on circuits across the United States than any other brand.Drawing design clues from racecars in the ALMS (American Le Mans Series), the Furai is underpinned by the Courage C65 chassis the company campaigned in the 2005 ALMS series, and it’s powered by a mighty 450bhp triple-rotor rotary engine. 'Furai purposely blurs boundaries that have traditionally distinguished street cars from racing cars,' says Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda’s North American director of design.