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

Peugeot designers showcase 208's attributes

Peugeot's all-new 208, which will replace the 207 in the Spring of next year, is an important car for the French firm. With a more dynamic design than its forebear, the new 208 is both lighter and smaller than its predecessor, aiming to embody ‘the principles of agility and efficiency', Peugeot claims. In the video to the left head of design Gilles Vidal and designers Pierre Authier, Anna Costamagna and Sylvain Henry talk us through some of the key design elements of the new B-segment car.

Watch Tesla Model S testing new titanium armor

In a missive signed by Elon Musk himself, Tesla announced it would be adding titanium plates and aluminum deflectors to all new Model S sedans and offering free retrofits for the 20,000 or so existing EVs. The company earlier offered an over-the-air software update to raise the ground clearance of the Model S so the car would be more likely to clear dangerous road debris. The actions were in response to well-publicized fires in the electric luxury sedans.

Consumer Reports ranks the Kia Sorento third among small, midsize SUVs

The 2011 Kia Sorento EX V6 now ranks third in the Consumer Reports ratings for small and midsize SUVs. Having earned an “excellent” overall score of 82 in recent tests, the Sorento trails only the Subaru Forester 2.5XT and the Toyota RAV4 V6. The magazine notes that the Sorento has a very firm ride and that the six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly.