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

BMW 1-series M Coupe (2011) teaser video

BMW is continuing to build up the hype ahead of the launch of its next M car – this is a teaser video giving us our first glimpse of the undisguised BMW 1-series M Coupe What’s new is our first look at this hot 1-series’ butch bodykit, complete with an engorged front bumper and triple air intakes. There are CSL-alike 19-inch wheels too, and sitting between the cross-drilled front discs is a twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six, producing 335bhp and 369lb ft. Drive, thankfully, goes to just the rear wheels, and they’ll be a choice of either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. There’ll be an M diff too, but we hear it might be on the options list as BMW’s money men fight to keep the list price under £40k.   

McLaren’s Jenson Button & Lewis Hamilton get animated

McLaren has teamed up with Framestore to produce a series of animated – and amusing – cartoons showing on Sky F1. Somehow, despite having the British Grand Prix in one window and the Andy Murray match at Wimbledon in another on Sunday, we managed to miss this cartoon featuring McLaren, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button on Sky F1. It seems Sky F1 will be featuring a new cartoon from McLaren at every Grand Prix for the rest of the season, and if they are up to this standard they’ll be well worth looking forward to.

Is Mercedes preparing to buy Ducati?

Remember the AMG-Ducati deal made at the 2010 Los Angeles auto show last month? A partnership of like-minded brands, albeit on two wheels and four. Daimler marketing types reckon that buyers of its AMG go-faster cars could in many instances be equally interested in go-faster motorbikes of the sort Ducati specialise in, and vice versa.