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

Donate to help earthquake victims in Japan

With Japan stricken by natural disasters, AutoWeek encourages its readers to donate to the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of people are feared missing or dead, and the country is grappling with the aftermath of earthquakes, a tsunami and a potential nuclear catastrophe. To donate, please click here: www.redcross.org

UK buyers plugging into electric cars

Renault New figures suggest UK motorists are charged up about electric vehicles (EVs), with a record number of zero-emission cars now on Britain’s roads. Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) suggest there are more than 10,000 electric cars on the road today, with as many as 1,200 EVs sold in March alone. In the midst of an EV revolution Compare that to the lowly 270 that were sold during the same month in 2013 and it becomes hard to argue that we’re not in the midst of an EV revolution, especially when you combine the figures with the 10,200 hybrid cars sold so far in 2014, up by 45% on last year.

Aston Martin launches Centenary Editions of DB9, Vantage, Vanquish & Rapide

Aston Martin celebrates its centenary with Centenary Edition versions of their entire range featuring special paint finish and bespoke interiors. One hundred years ago today, Aston Martin arrived as Bamford & Martin as Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford formed the company which would, just a year later, become Aston Martin, and to celebrate the centenary Aston Martin is creating 100 Centenary Editions of each of its model range (although not, it seems, the Cygnet). All the centenary Edition cars (V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide and Vanquish) will feature a unique graduated paint finish and get adorned with solid sterling silver wing badges (don’t park your Centenary Edition Aston Martin in a public car park with the current price of silver) with tailored ‘Trans Flux’ enamel inlay.