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

Mercedes B55 (2011) - a ballistic V8 B-class

Mercedes' tuning arm AMG has not yet ventured into sensible B-class territory, but a bunch of Merc trainees in Germany has come up with this: the B55. It's a V8-powered B-class, complete with AMG-spec 383bhp 5.5-litre V8 mounted up front and driving an old W210 E-class rear axle. Sounds like a promising skunkworks special, derived from an old B200 CDI hack that was kicking about the training centre.

VW Group planning 10-speed DSG, new powerful diesel engine & more plug-in hybrids

The end of the internal combustion engine is nigh, they say, as the world tries to clean up its environmental act and works towards a goal of electric motors to power our personal transport. But car makers are fighting that belief by extracting more power for less fuel from ICE engines, and there’s still a very long way to go before the ICE engine is consigned to the history books. Volkswagen has already reduced the fuel consumption of both their diesel and petrol engines by 30 per cent since 2000 and plan a further reduction of 15 per cent by 2020.

2015 Honda Civic Type R previewed ahead of Geneva

The 2015 Honda Civic Type R Concept (pictured) previewed ahead of a Geneva debut The next Honda Civic Type R isn’t due to arrive until 2015, but Honda are taking a Type R Concept to the Geneva Motor Show next month and are previewing that with a design sketch of the new Type R (above). The Type R at Geneva will be a concept – and as such subject to some slightly OTT elements – but if the production Type R is anywhere near as dramatic as this concept it will look more like a track car set loose on the streets than a road car. A comically big back wing blends in to the Type R’s rear lights, the Type R’s wide track is incorporated with huge wheelarches, there’s a big diffuser in the back bumper and two sets of twin exhaust tail pipes.