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

BMW tii models are go

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 02 April 2008 17:06 BMW chief Norbert Reithofer has confirmed to CAR Online that a range of tii performance options will be launched soon on the company's smaller models. He has finally ruled out a rumoured M1 version of the 1-series and said the tii spec would be the most performance-oriented model, claiming the the twin-turbo 135i was quite fast enough (it does 0-62mph in 5.3sec, after all).The tii concept shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show points accurately to the approach BMW is developing: performance kits for the 1-series coupe and hatchback, an aero package, carbonfibre details, fatter wheels and tyres, sports seats and instruments. There's even talk of a new M-style steering wheel with integrated LED rev counter.A tii for the massesBMW is the past master at offering huge choice in spec and trim; subtle nuance of alloy wheel size here, and Sport spec there is the stuff of workplace car park folklore.

Small but safe: the Fiat 500

By Ben Pulman Motor Industry 31 August 2007 10:29 Fiat’s new baby, the 500, has just achieved a full five-star Euro NCAP rating for adult safety. The 500's score of 35 points puts it ahead of cars like the Mini and Renault Clio while the 500’s closest rival, the Renault Twingo, only achieved four stars in the latest tests. The 500’s 35 points bettered the Twingo’s 28, as did its 14 point to the Renault’s 11 for pedestrian safety (though both ratings are equivalent to two stars).

Fisker ‘Project Nina’ to debut at New York Auto Show

Fisker's Project Nina teased ahead of the New York Auto Show The ‘Project Nina’ from Fisker – a smaller take on the Karma – will debut at the New York Motor Show in April. It’s taken a very long time for Henrik Fisker to get the Karma out to the public, and even then it looks like it still wasn’t really ready to go, with reports of faults and breakdowns already starting to filter in from the handful of Karma owners. But the next stage of Fisker’s evolution in to a fully fledged maker of range-extending EVs is ‘Project Nina’, a smaller car that the Fisker – thing 3 Series – which has been funded to a great degree by the US taxpayer.