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

Ford B-Max (2012) goes into the great wide open

Ford hopes a less-is-more approach will lure punters to its new B-max MPV, unique in the supermini segment for having a big hole in the central cockpit instead of a structural pillar. The result is a flexible people mover that's a doddle to load with kids or cargo, Ford claims, thanks to its pillarless opening and sliding rear door. The novel doors landed the £12,500 people mover in the same must-see company as Bentley's grotesque SUV concept and Ferrari's beautiful F12.

New Mercedes A Class: 90,000 orders and counting

Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche has revealed that Mercedes already has 90,000 orders for the new A-Class just months after its reveal. It’s a credible, good looking and clever car that’s a serious offering in the premium compact market and, if the order book for 70,000 A-Class Mercedes already had by the end of October is anything to go by, it’s going to be a roaring success. That sales figure has now jumped to 90,000 A-Class – according to Mercedes boss, Dieter Zetsche – and stands at double the order book Volkswagen has for the new MK 7 Golf.

Honda Interface Exhibition

Ginza, Tokyo - Honda recently had a small exhibition to show their progression of IP and binnacle design. Situated in the design gallery of Matsuya, one of Tokyo's premier department stores, it included a chronology of Honda dashboards from the first Civic to tomorrow's FCX. Opposite this was a grid of recesses, which each contained dials taken from the current range of Honda road cars.