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

Hyundai heading for more dual clutch gearboxes instead of CVT

Hyundai are planning to offer more dual clutch gearboxes in their cars rather than going the CVT route. There’s an argument that somehow CVT gearboxes offer better fuel economy than an automated dual clutch ‘box, even though logic says otherwise. Toyota insist on using a CVT ‘box on their hybrid cars when they’d feel much better to drive with an auto or dual clutch ‘box.

Ford eyes dandelions as sustainable alternative to synthetic rubber

Ford, in conjunction with Ohio State University, is turning to the humble garden weed as sustainable resource, researching the dandelion's potential use as an alternative to synthetic rubber. While the automaker already makes considerable use of sustainable materials in its vehicles – such as soy foam seat cushions and straw-filled plastic for interior trim – this latest discovery opens up a wealth of new possibilities for automotive applications. According to research conducted by Ford, a milky-white substance that is found in certain dandelion roots can produce a sustainable rubber that could be used to create plastic parts for vehicle interiors.

Audi RS5 engine confirmed, plus RS5 cabrio

By Tim Pollard (artist's impression by Radovan Varicak) Motor Industry 13 May 2009 13:44 Audi will fit a refettled naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 to its secret new RS5, CAR can confirm. We had previously reported the RS5 would use a twin-turbo iteration of this engine, but a senior source has told us it will not feature forced induction. We’re told it’s the same high-revving engine that powered the outgoing RS4, albeit spruced up with the latest Ingolstadt know-how.