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

Mitsubishi revamps U.S. strategy

Mitsubishi plans a different U.S. model lineup and a new production strategy for its assembly plant in Normal, Ill., as it shifts emphasis away from regionally focused vehicles to global small cars, hybrids and electrics. Shinichi Kurihara, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, says the company will launch four new models in the United States within three years, as four slow-selling U.S.-built vehicles are phased out of production by 2014.

Datsun Go boldly goes downmarket

The Datsun Go (pictured) has been revealed in India We’ve know since March that Nissan was adding an extra brand name to its portfolio – to add to Nissan and Infiniti – by reaching back in its history to bring the Datsun brand back to life, and we got the first image of what we now know is the Datsun Go at the start of July. Having spent a fortune eradicating Datsun from the minds of buyers and replacing it with Nissan, Nissan are now working to make car buyers in emerging markets fall for the new Datsun Go in the way the UK  did for the first Datsun Sunny in the 1970s. So we get the Datsun Go which is, to all intents and purposes, a Nissan Micra with all the fripperies removed and pitched – initially at least – at the budget end of the car market in India where it will go up against cars like the Hyundai i10 and cost under £5,000 which, entirely coincidentally, is the starting price for the i10.

Audi A3 e-tron stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

We’ve seen the Audi A3 e-tron before, but here at Frankfurt 2013 it yet again makes up an important part of the VW Group’s electrified product line-up – and makes it another step closer to production. Offering premium levels of comfort, refinement and equipment, the Audi A3 also gives running costs and efficiency – all these factors combined could well attract a new set of hybrid vehicle buyers.