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

VW Golf R 400 could get more than 400PS – which makes a bit of a nonsense of its name

The VW Golf R 400 (pictured) may not actually be an R 400 The Beijing Motor Show last month saw the debut of the VW Golf R 400, an extreme take on the VW Golf R with a full 400 PS (395bhp) at its disposal. When Volkswagen revealed the R 400 as a concept we did note that it looked more production-ready than concept, and it took VW less than a week to confirm that the Golf R 400 was indeed heading for production. Now, just to muddy the waters a bit (or raise expectations), VW’s R&D chief Heinz-Jakob Neusser has said that when the Golf R 400 does arrive it could well be with more than 400PS.

Cannonball Run seminar at Amelia Island was one for the ages

I don't think I've been to a bad car show, and that includes the local Kamaro Klub in the Dairy Queen parking lot. But I tend to judge the shows by the afterglow--how much you remember a day or two after the event. I tend to remember a lot after every Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, and that is mostly because the founder, Bill Warner, uses his annual North Florida show to do exactly what you and I would do if we ran a big show--invite our heroes to come talk and invite the cars we'd like to look at ourselves.

Councils urged to shun yellow lines

COUNCILS are being asked to cut unsightly yellow lines as part of a Government drive to rid the streets of clutter. Local Transport Minister Norman Baker has urged local authorities to think about using restricted parking zones, instead of automatically opting to use yellow lines to control parking, particularly in single streets and environmentally-sensitive areas in towns and cities. Restricted parking zones require a limited number of signs which tell motorists if they can or can not park and during which times and are considered less intrusive than conventional yellow lines.