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

Infiniti planning to take on Porsche Panamera

Infiniti planning to make the Essence Concept (pictured) in to a Panamer-like Coupe Back in 2009 – ahead of Infiniti launching in Europe – the Infiniti Essence arrived at the Geneva Motor Show as an illustration of what we could expect to see from Infiniti in the future. That was four years ago, but now it looks like the Essence may be on its way to production – after a slight stretch and the acquisition of a couple of extra doors – after Andy Palmer, Nissan’s VP for Future Products, told Automotive News Infiniti is planning a range-topping flagship to take on the Porsche Panamera. The Essence seems a good starting point for that mission; it’s already a big (over 15′ long) swoopy-coupe with a hybrid powerplant consisting of a 3.7 litre turbo V6 and electric motor combination good for 590bhp.

Rubens Barrichello does Top Gear

Rubens Barrichello does Top Gear this weekend Top Gear does like to get a Formula One driver or two to drive their track in a reasonably priced car. They’ve not managed to grab the whole grid yet – and they’ve also included a few golden oldies like Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill – but a lot of the big names seem to be persuaded it’s a bit of fun worth having. The top contenders this year have all been to the TG track, bar one.

Volkswagen aims for lofty Beetle sales

The attractive new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is expected to sell as many as 50,000 to 60,000 units a year in the United States. The car launches this fall. That level will be a big improvement over the latter years of the outgoing model, in which sales dwindled to just 15,000 a year, but it remains lower than the record figure of 83,000 achieved 18 months after the launch of the revised model.