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

Aston Martin Rapide S arrives with 550 horses

Aston Martin is replacing the four-door Rapide with the Rapide S, which gets minor styling tweaks and extra power. Just as they did with the new DB9, Aston Martin has made the new Rapide S a more aggressive car, with small styling tweaks like a new grill and a small spoiler at the back, some minor trim tweaks with the addition of Piano Black trim and a new duotone black and red leather trim, and an optional carbon fibre pack for exterior highlights. Under the skin, the Rapide S is still based on Aston’s VH platform, but it does get the latest Gen 4 tweaks including new adaptive dampers with Normal, Sport and Track modes, tweaked dynamic stability control (DSC) and the latest AM11 engine dropped by 19mm for a lower centre of gravity.

British drivers not prepared for winter weather

Mondial Assistance Drivers in the UK are not prepared for winter weather, despite many warnings of approaching cold conditions on the run up to Christmas. A study commissioned by AXA insurance found only 6% of motorists will use winter tyres and less than a third (31%) will carry extra supplies, such as a shovel or tow rope. MSN Cars Winter Motoring GuideFind out how much a used 4x4 costs on Auto Trader This is despite drivers spending an average of two days in isolation during 2012 due to snow, ice, rain and flooding over winter.

Sergio Scaglietti: 1920-2011

One of the most iconic names in Italian coachbuilding has died. Sergio Scaglietti, famous for creating some of the most beautiful and valuable cars in the world, passed away earlier this week at the age of 91, in his home town of Modena, Italy. The name Scaglietti is synonymous with Ferrari, the moniker still being carried on the 612 flagship model, and it is a pairing that runs deeper than crossbranding and business.