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

Crunch watch Dec 08: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard and Simon Stiel Motor Industry 31 December 2008 14:05 Wednesday 31 December 2008• GMAC, GM's finance arm, said it would immediately revise its criteria for providing loans, after the US government bail-out of the General's credit arm. It will now supply credit for anyone with a score of 621 or more on the Fico scale, the scale used to assess Amercian customers' creditworthiness (Financial Times)• The news means that 80% of US consumers would now qualify for a loan from GMAC – which should improve sales in the depressed US market (Detroit News)• Chrysler is being lambasted for taking out full-page adverts in the American national press thanking the nation for supporting its auto industry. But critics point out this is a fresh waste of bail-out resources, as pages in the Wall Street Journal – one of the titles in which the ad ran – reportedly cost up to $264,000.

More audio, mileage for the 2011 Honda Accord

Honda's updated 2011 Accord sedan and coupe will hit dealerships in mid-August. The Accord gets a refresh inside and out, a new leather-equipped Special Edition model and a handful of other interior upgrades. Fuel-economy improvements--a result of improved aerodynamics, less engine friction and new gear ratios--mean 34 mpg on the highway for the four-cylinder and 30 mpg for the V6.

Seat announces new special trim grade

SEAT HAS announced a great-value new special edition trim level across most of its UK range. I-Tech will add special alloy wheels and equipment extras to the Mii, Ibiza, Toledo, Altea, Altea XL and the Alhambra, even including special edition floor mats, badges and key covers on some models. Customer savings versus adding the extra equipment separately reach as high as £480.