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

Mercedes-Benz has big plans for small cars

Breaking outside its American position of rear-wheel-drive luxury vehicles, Mercedes-Benz will launch its new front-wheel-drive architecture in the United States in the next three years in the form of a coupe, SUV and possibly a small wagon or compact hatchback. Joachim Schmidt, Mercedes' global sales and marketing boss, said Mercedes is developing at least four models based on its MFA, or Mercedes Front-wheel-drive Architecture. "We will introduce the next generation of our MFA family to the U.S.," Schmidt said in an interview.

Citroen DS X7 SUV going in to production in 2014

The Citroen DS Wild Rubis (pictured) is going in to production as the Citroen DS X7 At the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year, Citroen debuted the DS Wild Rubis Concept as a full-sized SUV concept which looked like it was heading for production. And now Citroen has confirmed it is. The new Citroen DS X7 will go in to production in China late in 2014 and be sold under the Changan-PSA joint venture with underpinnings based on the Citroen DS5.

Exclusive: Derek Jenkins to become Design Director at Mazda

Derek Jenkins, former chief designer at the Volkswagen Group design studio in Santa Monica, will become the new Director of Design at Mazda's R&D Design Center in Irvine, CA. Jenkins, who resigned from Volkswagen on March 17th, will be filling the position previously held by Franz von Holzhausen, who left Mazda in August last year to become Design Director at Tesla Motors. "I'm excited to take on something new," Jenkins told CDN.