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

Cyclists 'revel in car-free streets'

THOUSANDS of cyclists have enjoyed the chance to ride on car-free streets during a series of bike rides around the country. The Space for Cycling Big Ride saw people of all ages take to their bikes in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. Organisers estimated 5,000 cyclists took part in the event in the capital, where 30 guided rides took place under bright sunshine.

Mercedes introduces C-Class Estate

Mercedes-Benz introduced a wagon variant of its new C-Class today at its factory in Bremen in northwestern Germany. The C-Class Estate is not only an affirmation of the popularity of the Benz wagon, a popularity that transcends decades as well as engine swaps, but also a commitment to Bremen -- a facility that already builds the C-Class, along with the E-Class, SL, SLK and GLK. The C-Class Estate makes extensive use of aluminum construction -- up to 50 percent of its body is made of the stuff.

It looks like Aston Martin could be getting AMG/Mercedes platforms too

Mercedes/AMG platforms would make the Lagonda SUV a reality We’d been expecting Aston Martin to get access to Mercedes platforms ever since the Lagonda SUV – based on the underpinnings of the Mercedes GL - arrived in all its ‘beauty’ in 2009. The Lagonda SUV was met with wails of anguish from lovers of Aston Martin’s timeless beauty but, despite the horror at the looks of the SUV, the prospect that Aston Martin could be heading down a collaboration route with Mercedes was welcome. It was welcome because without the support of a major car maker – and access to its technology – Aston Martin would have little chance of a bright future; there is no way a minnow like Aston Martin could afford the development cost of new engines and platforms.