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

CES 2011 opens in Las Vegas

The pace of development in the world of consumer electronics – particularly touchscreens, smartphones and tablet devices – is increasingly influential on the world of automotive design. So with the world's biggest electronics trade show, the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), opening today in Las Vegas, we thought it high time for Car Design News to attend.  The 2011 show has a strong automotive flavor, more so than in any previous year. CES was the event at which Ford chose to launch its industry leading in-car connectivity feature, Sync, in 2008 and, for the third year running, Ford CEO Alan Mulally will deliver a keynote address, during which he is expected to unveil Ford's Nissan Leaf-rivaling, electric-powered Focus.

Volkswagen updates Scirocco

Volkswagen has revealed an upgraded Scirocco, which will make its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in early March. Among the changes to Wolfsburg’s 6-year-old coupe are some subtle exterior changes, higher quality interior, and new four-cylinder engines, including a 276-hp version of Volkswagen’s EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter in the new top-of-the-range Scirocco R. Other engines include a 1.4-liter, 123-hp four and a 2.0-liter producing 177 hp, 217 hp or 276 hp.

London Congestion Charge jumps 15% to £11.50 a day

London Congestion Charge jumps 15% to £11.50 a day – and even a normal Prius must pay We all moaned when the London Congestion Charge zone was put in place in 2003 and we had to pay £5 a day to drive in London during the day on weekdays. But it’s gone up a bit since then. By 2011, it was costing twice as much – £10 a day – for the dubious privilege of driving in London, but having resisted the temptation of putting the price up for the last three years, Transport for London has announced it will be charging 15 per cent more from 7am on 16 June 2014 for your daily commute – that’s a whopping £11.50.