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

Geneva 2014 debut for Vauxhall Astra VXR Extreme concept

Vauxhall will unveil its fastest Astra model ever at this year’s 2014 Geneva Motor Show when it pulls the covers off its Astra VXR Extreme concept car. According to the British firm, the Extreme will be even more powerful than the standard Astra VXR, boasting lightweight components that make the race track “the car’s natural environment.” On Bing: see pictures of the Vauxhall Astra VXR Find out how much a used Vauxhall Astra VXR costs on Auto Trader The first image of the vehicle shows a low, aggressive looking car featuring revised aerodynamics – including that massive rear wing – and a new dual-twin tailpipe setup. These changes over the standard VXR won’t be the most significant, however.

Alfa Romeo 4C convertible likely for 2015

Conventional wisdom holds that if you want to take on Porsche's 911, you need a convertible variant. And although Alfa Romeo's often marched to the beat of a wonderfully idiosyncratic drummer, it sounds as if it's hewing to general sporting-car rules of thumb with the 4C. According to a report in Britain's Autocar, sources have confirmed that a 4C convertible will follow the launch of the coupe by about a year.

Volt, Leaf win top safety rating in crash test

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars won the highest safety ratings in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, putting them in the top 57 percent of models tested so far this year. About 80 of 140 vehicles tested among 2011-2012 models have received the Institute's "top safety pick," the group's award for state-of-the-art crash protection that exceeds federal safety rules, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. The Volt and Leaf received a "good" rating -- the highest of four rankings -- on each of four crash tests, said the Institute, which is funded by auto insurers including State Farm, All-State and Geico.