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

Volvo XC60 at Geneva

By Ben Whitworth Motor Shows 04 March 2008 13:31 So what’s new on Volvo’s Geneva Motor Show stand? It’s all about the new XC60 on the Volvo stand. Based on the V70/XC70 architecture – there’s no commonality with Ford’s new Kuga – the XC60 is the SUV with a conscience.

Design Contest: Renault UK launches Twizy student design competition

We all know how expensive higher education is, so the chance to win up to £9,000 towards UK tuition fees in return for submitting graphic designs for the Renault Twizy sounds very appealing. All you have to do is visit designatwizy.co.uk to download a layout of the front, side and rear and submit as many entries as you like. The closing date is 20 February, when a panel including Senior Vice President, Corporate Design, Laurens van den Acker will choose a top 10 to enter a public vote.

Jaguar hybrid cars due in 2013-14

Jaguar will launch its own hybrid vehicles soon after Land Rover, CAR can confirm. Parent company Jaguar Land Rover is developing battery-assisted hybrid versions for both brands but its strategy puts part-electric Land Rovers first on the launchpad in 2013.Hybrid Jaguars – set to include the XJ and XF, but eventually every model – are therefore likely to be on the market by 2013-2014, using a similar eight-speed ZF hybrid transmission to petrol-electric BMWs.The staggered roll-out of battery Jags and Land Rovers makes sense: heavy 4x4s have come in the firing line from green protestors who label them Chelsea Tractors. Hybrid Land Rovers will trim emissions and – in plug-in hybrid mode – enable even big bulky Range Rovers to drive in zero-emissions mode into central urban areas emitting nothing more unsaintly than an electric whir.So which Jaguars will go hybrid first?It's likely that the largest models such as the XJ will receive the hybrid power packs first; large cars reap the greater benefit and can more easily swallow the additional cost, put at around £10,000 in today's money.JLR's Midlands engineering bases in Whitley and Gaydon now employ 100 engineers in the expanding hybrid powertrain business unit launched 18 months ago.