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

RCA Citroen/Exa Double Challenge project

Second year students at the Royal College of Art in London revealed a series of projects at their interim degree show last week. Developed in collaboration with French automaker Citroen and the Exa Corporation, a leading supplier of aerodynamic software, the Double Challenge project asked students to design an ultra-compact model that could establish a unique Citroën e-vehicle aesthetic for the future, all while adhering to certain aerodynamic criteria that would not only reduce energy consumption and ensure stability at speed, but also visually communicate efficiency through its design. The project, which kicked off in October last year, was closely followed by representatives from Citroen and Exa, who examined each of the projects and chose a winner, Heikki Juvonen, at the event last week.

Aston Martin drops Cygnet city car

Autocar is reporting that the diminutive Aston Martin Cygnet has been dropped from the company’s portfolio. The automaker, now owned by Prodrive and private equity firm Invenstindustrial, will focus on its “core product range,” also known as “good cars.” Autocar posits that the justification for the Cygnet was to continue producing V8 and V12 cars, while keeping its average CO2 emissions down. The Cygnet shared bones with the Toyota iQ city car and used a 97-hp, 1.3-liter engine and got 58.9 mpg using the U.S.

Jaguar SUV / Crossover (C-X17 Concept) arrives early

The firts look at the Jaguar XQ SUV (pictured) as it leaks out ahead of a Frankfurt debut Jaguar Land Rover don’t have a lot of luck keeping their concept cars under wraps ahead of their official debut. And so it is with the Jaguar SUV/Crossover. The Jaguar C-X17 Concept – which previews a new Jaguar platform and the first look at a compact-ish SUV Crossover – is due to arrive in a few days at the Frankfurt Motor Show.