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

2012 Mini roadster revealed

Mini has revealed the definitive production version of its 2012 roadster. Sister car to the recently introduced coupe, alongside which it will be built at Mini's Oxford plant in England, the compact two-seater arrives a little more than two years after it was first shown in lightly veiled concept car guise at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show. Rival to the enduring Mazda Miata, the Mini roadster is planned to make its public debut at the Detroit auto show in January prior to going on sale in North America in mid-2012.

UPDATED: Honda hints at new European advanced design studio

On the eve of the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda Design's Creative Director, Toshinobu Minami, announced that the company is looking to once again open a design facility in Europe. The announcement came during a presentation at the R&D Center in Waco, just outside the Japanese capital and, while not confirmed, Minami-san strongly hinted that the UK would be a likely candidate to play host to Honda's revitalized European design operations. He cited the country's existing manufacturing and administration facilities, as well as a wealth of new talent from the Royal College of Art in particular.

Aston Martin in talks with Mercedes for engine supply

It has seemed for some time that Aston Martin’s wish-list for future engines revolved around Mercedes. They currently use a V12 developed from Ford’s Mondeo V6 and a V8 that’s a development of the 4.2 litre that was in Jaguars (and Range Rovers) until a few years ago, but new engines (and new platforms) are vital if Aston are to remain competitive. Before the recent investment in AML by Investindustrial, there were plans for Aston to use both engines and platforms from Mercedes (the Lagonda SUV was built on the underpinnings of the Mercedes GL) and even the possibility that Aston Martin would design and build the next generation Maybach.