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

It looks like Aston Martin could be getting AMG/Mercedes platforms too

Mercedes/AMG platforms would make the Lagonda SUV a reality We’d been expecting Aston Martin to get access to Mercedes platforms ever since the Lagonda SUV – based on the underpinnings of the Mercedes GL - arrived in all its ‘beauty’ in 2009. The Lagonda SUV was met with wails of anguish from lovers of Aston Martin’s timeless beauty but, despite the horror at the looks of the SUV, the prospect that Aston Martin could be heading down a collaboration route with Mercedes was welcome. It was welcome because without the support of a major car maker – and access to its technology – Aston Martin would have little chance of a bright future; there is no way a minnow like Aston Martin could afford the development cost of new engines and platforms.

Who the hell is Rory Carroll, and what is he doing to your autoweek.com?

My name is Rory Carroll, and as of this week, my full-time job is to be hopelessly obsessed with cars, and to share that obsession with you, the readers of autoweek.com. For whatever reason, I have more or less always believed that making a career writing about cars wasn't quite a realistic-enough option to pursue. It made a lot more sense to go to law school, (or in my case put law school off while getting wrapped up in the sometimes-exciting world of politics).

Citroën Survolt Francoise Nielly art car displayed at C_42, Paris

Citroën's C_42 building on Paris' world famous Champs-Elysées has launched its new exhibition season, with an art car version of its Survolt concept by French artist Francoise Nielly. The use of fluorescent paint in her oil and knife portraits was inspired by a childhood spent in Southern France, where she chased butterflies in the bright Mediterranean sun. Her work has, in turn, inspired Citroën's designers, who cite Nielly's work as the influence behind the vibrant color highlights on the Survolt.