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

Ram 1500 gets a larger RamBox, more cab options for new models

Not to be outdone by Ford's F-150 announcements, Ram on Thursday disclosed a few additions to its lineup--including a heavy-duty Tradesman model, a new RamBox and an extension of model availability for the Express model. The Ram 1500 Tradesman, which is the basic workhorse of the lineup, will now be offered in heavy-duty trim with a towing capacity of 11,500 pounds. Payload also increases to 3,100 pounds.

Renault Sand'up concept

This is Renault's new Sand'up concept, developed by Renault Brazil and unveiled today at the 25th Salão Internacional do Automóvel in São Paolo. The modular 2+2 coupé can not only transform into a cabriolet, but it can also be used as a pickup by lowering the rear bench seat. As most pickups in Brazil are bought for their sporty image and not used for heavy workloads, but rather as an adventurous and fun vehicle, the car makes use of the rear passenger compartment by incorporating a mechanism that lengthens the cargo bed by up to 40cm to accommodate a range of objects.

Call for ban on in-car hands-free phones

Road safety charity Brake is calling for a blanket ban on in-car hands-free phone systems. Using a hand-held phone while driving is already illegal in the UK, so a proposal to prohibit even hands-free kits would completely eradicate calling from behind the wheel. On Bing: see pictures of people using mobile phones while driving 1 in 3 use mobile phone behind the wheel A decade on from when the mobile phone ban was introduced, Brake is asking the government to assess its policy on all forms of telephone communication while driving.