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

Nissan’s new lightweight philosophy revealed

The leaked official drawings of the new Nissan Micra might have revealed the conventional styling of the company’s new supermini, but they gave little clue to the dramatically lightweight new platform that underpins it. The new Micra will be significantly lighter and more fuel efficient than the outgoing car due to a ruthless pursuit of weight reduction on the new V-platform (V = versatile), which on average has slashed 50kg from the new car's weight, and up to 70kg on some models. Project leader Noritaka Tsuru described the new package as a 'breakthrough car' that required a complete 'change in mentality' in how Nissan makes cars.

Car sales rise as shutdown ends

DETROIT -- Combined U.S. sales by the Detroit 3 rose 14 percent last month, helped by strong demand for sedans and pickups and an increase in showroom traffic after the partial government shutdown ended. General Motors reported a 16 percent gain after losing market share in August and September.

VW Scirocco & VW Passat CC get BlueMotion Technology

The VW Passat CC BlueMotion Technology - with added economy Volkswagen is busy rolling out its BlueMotion Technology models (as opposed to the ultimate eco version in the range, which is simply ‘BlueMotion’) across its range, yielding some pretty impressive CO2 and fuel savings in the process. Now it’s the turn of the VW Scirocco and VW Passat CC to get the BlueMotion Technology tweaking and fettling to yield the right numbers to keep the taxman at bay. And, just as they have with other VW BlueTechnology models, VW has managed to tease and cajole some pretty impressive numbers from both the Scirocco and Passat CC.