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

Lotus Evora 414E Range Extender EV moves forward

The Lotus Evora 414E – a Lotus Engineering range extender hybrid project – is still moving ahead with dynamic and durability testing now underway. On the surface the Evora 414E looked like every other Evora, but under the skin sat the first version of a Lotus range-extender platform with a pair of electric motors and a small, 3-cylinder range-extender engine promising impressive performance and economy. Despite the reveal of the 414E at Geneva in 2010, there’s not been a huge amount of news on Lotus pushing forward with the project, or at least not until we got the Infiniti Emerg-E Concept at Geneva this year that turned out to be underpinned by the Evora 414E platform.

Porsche, Volkswagen work out more sale details, may use Auto Union name

Porsche and Volkswagen have broadly agreed on sale terms, and the name Auto Union may be resurrected, Reuters reports. The new entity could be led by Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, and Porsche would retain some independence--similar to Audi's setup within the Volkswagen Group. Porsche would be the 10th brand in the company.

Chrysler offers to double cash-for-guzzlers incentive on most '09 models

The Chrysler Group is offering consumers $4,500 on most of its 2009 models, doubling the cash-for-guzzlers incentive offered by the federal government. "Double Ca$h for Your Old Car," offers up to $4,500 cash or 0 percent financing for 72 months on qualifying new vehicles, even if the consumer's trade-in doesn't qualify for the federal incentive. The program starts Thursday, July 23, and runs through August, Chrysler announced Wednesday.