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

Hot seats: from design to delivery [sponsored]

As the user demands on car interiors are increasingly influenced by their growing design consciousness, so suppliers like Lear strive to bring better-engineered seating to satisfy. 2013 was another big year for Lear, as Jeanette Puig-Pey, its global fabric & leather design manager, enthuses: "At our ‘Design2Perform' event we celebrated the unveiling of our brand new collection, with special emphasis on color and texture and our TeXstyle Enhance product, perfect for customization. Laser etching is part of this offering, it is exclusive to Lear Corporation and can be used to add refined design elements to cloth and leather." A mix of fabric and leather in seating is not new but is often seen by the consumer as a cheaper alternative to full leather.

GM delays innovative new diesel truck engine

General Motors' deteriorating financial situation has caused the company to delay one of the most advanced engines that it has ever designed, a 4.5-liter diesel for light-duty trucks. "We have to make tough decisions right now," GM Powertrain spokeswoman Susan Garavaglia said. Truck enthusiasts were eagerly awaiting the engine, which would have started production next fall at GM's plant in Tonawanda, N.Y.

Spyker B6 Venator Spyder on the way

But much of that will probably depend on real buyers stumping up real money to get on the waiting list for a car we still don’t know a great deal about (in particular what underpins it) but which does look good and manages to encompass Spyker’s traditional styling cues whilst still conspiring to look very current. Now, buried amongst the latest financial report from Spyker – which shows no real turnover or profit, loans in to shares and an injection of cash from Youngman – comes the news that Victor is already getting a bit ahead of himself again with plans to reveal the B6 Venator Spyder later this year. That looks a bit of a ‘run before you can walk’ scenario for Spyker - especially as Victor says production of the C8 Aileron will gather pace this year and the D8 Peking-to-Paris SUV will be a priority – but if Spyker can produce a Venator Spyder that looks as good as the coupe it may be the right way forward.