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

2012 Mercedes A-Class AMG to get 350bhp & 4WD

Mercedes Concept-A gets unveiled in Shanghai It’s rather hard to imagine the current Mercedes A-Class coming with 350bhp running through its front wheels. It may have managed to pass the Elk test to make it safe, but 350bhp would be enough to tear the steering wheel from your hands and roll you over in a brisk bend. But this isn’t the current A-Class we’re talking about, but the 2012 Mercedes A-Class based on the very fine-looking Mercedes Concept-A we reported a couple of weeks ago, and which bowed in at Shanghai this week.

Bentley W12 (and Audi and VW) engine production centres on Crewe

The VW Group W12 engine will now only be made by Bentley in Crewe It’s probably not something you’ve paused to think about much, but if you did you’d assume that the Bentley W12 engine – fitted to the Flying Spur and Continental GT as well as the Audi A8 and VW Phaeton – was made only in Crewe. But you’d be wrong. In fact, the W12 for Bentleys are made in Crewe but those used in the Audi A8 and VW Phaeton are actually built by VW at their engine plant in Salzgitter.

Jeremy Hicks is new Jaguar Land Rover UK MD

Jaguar Land Rover UK appoints Jeremy Hicks (pictured) as Managing Director Jaguar Land Rover have decided to tidy up their management structure at JLR UK, and have appointed a single Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover UK, which brings JLR UK in to line with the practice in other JLR regions around the world. Historically, probably because Jaguar and Land Rover were originally separate entities in the UK, Jaguar UK and Land Rover UK have had their own Managing Directors – until this reshuffle they were Geoff Cousins at Jaguar and Colin Green at Land Rover – but with JLR growing strongly worldwide it was felt it was time to tidy things up. That means the arrival of former Audi UK boss Jeremy Hicks to the fold as the new MD of JLR UK.