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

Crunch watch July 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard, Ben Pulman, Ben Whitworth and Alex Michaelides Motor Industry 31 July 2009 11:23 Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour  Friday 31 July 2009• Lamborghini today posted pre-tax profits of €5.4 million – despite a sales drop of 37% in the first six months of 2009. Sant'Agata said turnover hit €156.9m in the first half (down 43%) as it sold 825 cars globally (Lamborghini)• British motorists could have to pay £250 in tax to park at work from 2012.

2014 Mercedes S Class: First interior photos

We have the first interior photos of the 2014 Mercedes S Class ahead of its debut in May 2013, showing a much more modern interior. But now, with a reveal of the new S Class just a couple of months off, we have the first photos of the interior of the new S Class showing a  car that keeps much of the layout of the current S Class but adds in more curves, more technology, a more modern look and a more upmarket feel than ever before. The cabin flows from the screen in to the doors in the same sort of seamless way it does an the Jaguar XJ – where it makes the cabin feel more spacious – the instrument panel is a huge digital display, the seats are differently contoured and trimmed, there seems to be more room, better lighting and an altogether more upmarket feel for Mercedes range topper.

Gordon Murray's electric city car gets green light

The UK Government tonight announced a major investment in Gordon Murray's radical new city car project. A £9 million grant will fund development of the T27, an electric city car successor to the original T25 being designed in the UK by the maverick engineer behind the McLaren F1 and numerous racing cars. The money will be spent designing and producing four prototypes over a 16-month period, with the eventual aim of putting an electric car with sustainable manufacturing processes into full production here in the UK.  The T27 will be the follow-up to the petrol-powered T25, a small city car designed by jointly by Gordon Murray Design and Zytek Automotive technology.