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

AutoStyle 2010

Earlier this year, we had the pleasure to attend AutoStyle 2010's design competition; a wonderfully familial, small-scale event that takes place in the picturesque village of San Benedetto Po, in northern Italy. Hosted by Berman, an aftermarket supplier of bespoke components to many OEMs, the event is a two-day gathering where many of the industry's designers, buyers and suppliers attend a conference to hear about the trends as perceived by automakers and to see the newest ‘special versions' created by budding designers. The 7th edition of the AutoStyle design competition showcased a wide array of aftermarket designs for the Ferrari California, Nissan Micra, Ford Focus, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Citroen DS Highrider concept.

Brabus tunes Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG to 394 hp

It was only a matter of time before German tuning house Brabus looked at the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG and said: nahh, it's just not powerful enough. Recall that the base CLA 45 AMG already produces 355-hp and 332 lb-ft of torque courtesy of its modestly sized 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four (an impressive feat by itself, yielding the highest output of any production four-cylinder engine), which gives it the ability to get to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. Given its $48,375 price tag for stateside 4Matic all-wheel drive version, many would call that a bargain for the performance stats provided.

Would you buy a Chevrolet S10?

Last week we asked you if you would be interested in trying the Chevrolet Montana, a compact pickup truck based on a hatchback that manages to deliver 30 mpg while being able to haul as much weight as a Ford F-150. Quite a few you were impressed with the little trucklet, which is available in South America and parts of Central America. Some of you likened it to a descendant of the Subaru Brat.