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

Mercedes-Benz hooks up with Europcar for its courtesy cars

Mercedes partner with Europcar for courtesy cars Providing courtesy cars for customers is something of a pain for car makers. Customers expect a courtesy car when they come in for repair or service or after an accident, and that’s not easy to manage. So car makers partner with car hire firms to make the whole thing work and, usually, know they can put a customer in a courtesy car whenever it’s needed.

Volkswagen Golf R 400 sounds like it means business (video)

The VW Golf R 400 (pictured) on the move in Vienna The Volkswagen Golf R Concept arrived at the Beijing Motor Show recently, and it looked pretty much production-ready. So it was no huge surprise when we got news that the Golf R 400 is going in to production – although probably in limited numbers with a big price tag – and there seems to be more than a fighting chance it will actually get more than the 395 bhp (400 PS) the concept has. But even if the R 400 only comes with 395 bhp, it promises to out-do the current hot hatch champion – the Mercedes A45 AMG – with a 0-62mph of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 174mph, with all its power being put down to all four wheels through VW’s 4MOTION.

2012 Mercedes B-Class: First interior photos

2012 Mercedes B-Class Interior - first photo We’re expecting the 2012 Mercedes B-Class to be a big jump on from the current car - certainly in quality and dynamic terms – when it arrives at Frankfurt. And if the photo we’ve had in this morning of the 2012 B-Class’s interior is anything to go by, we’re not going to be too disappointed. We already know that the new B-Class is growing in size and that it will get all new engines with same direct injection as the BlueDIRECT (let’s just hope Mercedes now has the injector problems the C and E Class suffered under control) and a choice of either a six-speed manual or a  new 7G-DCT ‘box, which will be a huge improvement on the dreadful rubber band box in the old B-Class.