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

Future products: Toyota lineup gets an 18-month makeover

Toyota plans to move into new product segments over the next 18 months, as well as redesign several mainstream models. By the spring of 2012, Toyota will launch all-new versions of the Camry, Yaris, Tacoma and RAV4. Also, the new FT-86 sport coupe, developed with Subaru, should arrive on these shores by that time.

New Peugeot 208 production cut as sales disappoint

Peugeot is cutting back on production of the new 208 as its sales fail to reach expectations, just six months on from launch. It’s not enough when Europe is ion the midst of an economic crisis and car buyers are polarised between ‘budget’ cars that offer more for less than mainstream offerings and ‘Premium’ models that are bought on the back of a preconceived notion of more kudos. That leaves car makers like Peugeot (and Renault, Citroen, Vauxhall, Ford, Opel, Fiat…) between a rock and a hard place, unable – or unwilling – to compete with the offerings from Korea and saddled with a brand that doesn’t have the ‘class’ of an Audi or a BMW or a Mercedes or even a VW.

This day in Autoweek history: The 1976 Chevrolet Chevette

Today in Autoweek history, we look back to the week of September 20, 1975, when Corey Farley gave us a look at the new 1976 Chevrolet Chevette. The B-segment (for 1976, anyway) newcomer weighed in at a scant 1,998 pounds and carried an equally lightweight MSRP of $2,899. Farley described how the Chevette handled some of the rigors of testing, which included hauling four journalists and their camera equipment around the Black Lake testing facility in Milford, Mich.