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

Crash deaths down 40% since 1960

CAR CRASH DEATHS have plummeted over the last five decades despite the rising number of drivers on the road, figures show. Since 1960, the number of annual deaths from collisions in England and Wales has fallen by 41%, researchers said. There were 1,647 deaths from a road traffic accident in 1960 and 964 deaths in 2009, according to an article published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.

One Lap of the Web: The LAPD gets a Gallardo and this Honda watches you

-- Combining Los Angeles' proud traditions of flashy cars and breathlessly exciting high-speed pursuits, the Los Angeles Police Department has picked up a sweet new ride: a Lamborghini Gallardo, which its Air Support Team has thoughtfully given a fresh coating of black-and-white. The Gallardo was donated by Nathalie and Travis Marg of downtown LA-based telecom company Light Source 1 Inc. as a charitable contribution, because a nice tax write-off is always more fun than the alternative -- dropping five figures and a firstborn son on a

Volkswagen plans 4 million cars from one platform

Volkswagen is pushing the global-platform concept to a level unprecedented in the auto industry, introducing a modular platform this summer that eventually will be the basis of microcars, sedans, crossovers and SUVs for its four largest brands. While automakers now share platforms across brands and sometimes even segments, the VW initiative that starts this summer is far more ambitious than anything seen so far. By 2017, some analysts estimate, the MQB platform that debuts with the Audi A3 eventually will be used in 4 million units a year--close to half of VW's annual production.