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

Frankfurt 2011: New Vauxhall Astra GTC (2012) debut

Vauxhall Astra GTC finally arrives at Frankfurt The Vauxhall Astra GTC (and its European equivalent Opel GTC) finally gets to go on public view at Frankfurt this week, a year after it arrived as a concept at Paris. Based on the more prosaic five-door Astra, the GTC carries over just about nothing except the door handles although it still conspires to look like a slightly squashed, butch version of its sibling. The Astra GTC is a decent looking effort from Vauxhall – as is the regular Astra – designed to take the fight to cars like the Scirroco.

2012 Honda Civic: First detail, photo and video

2012 Honda Civic - suitably disguised If you think about Honda cars the first car that probably springs to mind is the Honda Civic because the Civic seems to have been around for ever. In fact, the 2012 Honda Civic will be the ninth generation of the Civic over nearly 40 years. The original Civic arrived in 1972 with all its Japanese build quality and reliability intact from the start, and it was something of a revelation for a motoring public that were still buying new Austin 1300s and the later model Humber Sceptres.

Top Hyundai UK Dealers honoured

Hyundai’s top UK dealers have been honoured with awards at an event in Frankfurt. Bristol Street Motors, Monaghan Brothers, Sandon Road Hyundai and J T Hughes won awards. There are lots of threads to making a brand succeed, and Hyundai’s stellar rise from budget ‘dofor’ to mainstream beating has meant weaving those threads together like a seamstress on a fine tapestry. From advertising to PR to product to showcase, the brand will only work if all the elements combine properly to convince car buyers there’s substance to the product.