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

First Fiat 500s will have stick shifts

The 2012 Fiat 500 , heading to U.S. dealerships later than first expected, is enduring another hiccup: The first units arriving in dealerships in late February will have manual transmissions, the company said. Moreover, only about 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships will be open when those first cars arrive, said Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand in North America, at the Detroit auto show last week.

Electric-car guru Tom Gage steps down from AC Propulsion

Electric-car innovator Tom Gage resigned the morning of Oct. 5 from California company AC Propulsion, Autoweek has learned. Gage, the now-former CEO, joined the company in 1996, several years after its founding, and has become its public face and a widely used resource on electric cars.

Kia scoops three design awards

Kia has won three design awards in this year's Automotive Brand Contest, continuing its strong showing in last year's competition. The second-generation cee'd, launched in June, topped the exterior category table as well as receiving an honorary special mention for exceptional innovation in the interior category. The car's exterior features a chrome-framed glasshouse and muscular lines on the bonnet, while inside an ergonomic, driver-oriented control panel impressed the judges enough to receive the special mention.