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

CDN-GM Interactive Competition launched

The Car Design News - GM Interactive Competition interior design phase has launched and is now accepting uploads from students studying any kind of design course in North America and Canada. You can register and upload an initial entry right now at www.cardesigncontest.com GM's four brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC have each set a brief, of which students can choose to answer one or several. It's traditional to focus your design efforts towards the close of a design competition, but GM, and our sponsors, Dassault Systèmes and Faurecia, have mentors standing by to guide your design work, so we encourage you to begin uploading work as soon as you can.

Holden will sell cars in Australia beyond 2017

When we heard about Holden's plans to shutter its Australian plants after 2017, we didn't know quite what to think. The General Motors subsidiary was cagey when it came to details, claiming that the brand would remain a presence in Australia -- even maintaining its design office there. Oddly, we couldn't get anyone to say, in black-and-white terms, what vehicles would be sold there under the Holden name after its plants close.

Renault Scenic XMOD

In a move that marks the huge shift in interest from MPVs and minivans to SUVs, the definitive ‘mini-MPV' Renault Scenic has been rehashed and reborn as a pseudo off-roader. The addition of unpainted bumpers and lower body cladding, along with some metallic-effect details is a clear attempt to stem the flood of buyers choosing cars such as the Nissan Qashquai. It may be little more than an Allroad-style makeover rather than a new format but it speaks volumes in terms of how the family car market has shifted and not only in Europe.