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

Merc to revive straight six, plus 4cyl and smaller V8s

Mercedes has just signed off a new engine family which will see most full-sized Mercs in future run four-cylinders, downsized V8s and… straight sixes. A friendly Mercedes engineer recently met CAR to disclose the engine plans for future models, including the surprise disclosure that Merc plans to switch to straight sixes, like its rivals over in Munich.  It's fair to say I almost choked on my breakfast croissant when I found out the details of the next MB engine generation which has just been signed off for release in 2015. Mercedes' future four-cylinder engines Again, there will be a family of new low-cost fours, and the big-bore V8s will be replaced by a series of downsized turbocharged 4.0-litre units.

European car sales down 5.2%

EUROPEAN UNION car sales are still sagging despite the return of modest economic growth. For the first eight months of the year, passenger car sales were down 5.2% to 7.84 million compared with the same period last year, the European Auto Manufacturers' Association said - the lowest January-August figure since the group started keeping records in 1990. New car registrations in August fell five per cent from a year ago to 653,872.

Mitsubishi i MiEV electric vehicle priced at $45,660

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has priced its new electric vehicle at 4.38 million yen, or $45,660 at current exchange rates, and wants EVs to account for 20 percent of its global output by 2020. Mitsubishi unveiled the production version of its i MiEV battery-powered car on Friday, saying it aims for 1,400 lease sales to corporate customers and local governments by March 31, 2010.