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

Autumn issue of Interior Motives and special 10th Anniversary edition available now

The Autumn edition of Car Design News' quarterly interior design magazine Interior Motives is out now, featuring in-depth explorations of the very best interior designs from the recent Beijing, Paris and Moscow auto show Stories include the ground-breaking first concept from the newly launched, China-only Denza brand, created by Daimler and BYD to tap into the growing desire for luxury family cars, and Audi's Crosslane Coupé, which showcases the marque's new design philosophy. Also included in the latest edition is the full story behind the all-new Range Rover – widely considered to be the best SUV ever built – and the innovative Onyx concept shown by Peugeot at the Paris motor show. Combined with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the development of Lada's XRay (a stake in the ground by new design boss Steve Mattin) and a report from the 2012 Interior Motives Design Awards, the Autumn issue is essential reading for anyone working in automotive design.

Ford eyes dandelions as sustainable alternative to synthetic rubber

Ford, in conjunction with Ohio State University, is turning to the humble garden weed as sustainable resource, researching the dandelion's potential use as an alternative to synthetic rubber. While the automaker already makes considerable use of sustainable materials in its vehicles – such as soy foam seat cushions and straw-filled plastic for interior trim – this latest discovery opens up a wealth of new possibilities for automotive applications. According to research conducted by Ford, a milky-white substance that is found in certain dandelion roots can produce a sustainable rubber that could be used to create plastic parts for vehicle interiors.

Audi RS6 Avant Plus outed by Audi UK

Audi RS6 Avant Plus outed by Audi UK The Audi RS6 Avant is, in many way, the pick of the ‘Uber’ estate cars from Germany. True, it’s eschewed its monster V10 for a 4.0 litre V8 turbo in its latest iteration, but in the process it’s become a more complete car which offers great dynamics as well as a mountain of power and torque, judiciously employed through Audi’s quattro 4WD. But as Stephan Reil, Audi Quattro Division boss, said back in January, Audi are planning an even more powerful ‘Plus’ version of the RS6 Avant with around 600bhp to take on cars like the Mercedes E63 AMG S which also offers 4WD (at least in LHD markets) and 577bhp.