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

Lexus Design Awards open for entries under the theme 'Senses'

When we visited Milan Design Week earlier this year, the winners of the Lexus Design Award were a particular highlight – refreshingly free from automotive references, the work was in the true spirit of the city's celebrated annual festival. The theme of the 2015 competition is Senses, which opens up the opportunity for designers to explore sight, sound, smell, taste and/or touch. Entrants will be judged by a panel including architect Toyo Ito, curators Paolo Antonelli and Aric Chen, and Lexus president and former head of Toyota design Tokuo Fukuichi.

Volkswagen Passat TDI covers 1,626 miles on a single tank of fuel

John and Helen Taylor recently drove a 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI carefully enough to return an unbelievable 84.1 mpg on trip from Houston, Texas, to Sterling, Va. That's 1,626.1 miles on one tank of low-sulfur diesel. That's almost 100 miles better than the old world record.

Aston Martin may build Maybachs for Daimler, reports say

Aston Martin is in talks with Daimler AG over a potential partnership that would see the British luxury carmaker design and build a new Maybach ultraluxury sedan for the German automaker, Europe press reports said. Aston Martin may take engine technology from Daimler in exchange for building Daimler's Maybach cars, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, citing people close to the situation. German automotive magazine Auto Zeitung said Daimler has already commissioned a mock-up of a new Maybach limousine that would use know-how and parts from Aston Martin.