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

Aston Martin Vantage gets V12, but we won't get the car

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage, the hottest version of the two-seat coupe, is the latest step in the automaker's new-model offensive for 2009. Revealed just days after the Rapide four-door, the V12 Vantage is the second of four major reveals from Aston this year. Also coming is the DBS convertible, which will share stand space at Geneva with the V12 Vantage and a concept for a new Lagonda, the dormant brand that Aston plans to bring back to life as a super-luxury Rolls-Royce/Maybach challenger.

GM stops Chevy Volt production to trim inventory

General Motors will idle the Detroit-area assembly plant that builds the Chevrolet Volt for more than a month to curb rising inventories of the plug-in hybrid. On March 1, GM told 1,300 workers at its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan that it will shut down production for five weeks, starting the week of March 19. GM plans to resume production on April 23, spokesman Chris Lee said.

Mazda 2 and Mazda Hakaze

By Ben Whitworth Motor Shows 08 March 2007 09:15 Lighter and smaller - now there's a change Mazda drew in the Geneva crowds with two key show cars – its sprightly new Mazda 2 supermini and the radical Hakaze crossover concept. In a world that’s piling on the pounds, the Mazda 2 bucks the trend – it’s smaller in all directions and weighs a full 100kg less than the outgoing model. The result is better emissions and economy, tidier handling and punchier performance, according to the spec sheet.