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

Design Services: Ficosa International

In the hierarchy of car design the exterior of a powerful sports car is usually regarded as the highest level whilst the design of some of the smaller functional components tends to sit at the bottom. But even for companies not obviously dependant on sexy curves to help them make money, design is increasingly being recognised as a critical ingredient for commercial success. Whilst most large suppliers have grown their design capability over the last decade, few have truly embraced the potential of having a focus on Design within their corporate strategy.

50,000 copies of the 2012 Honda Civic recalled over driveshaft issue

About 50,000 copies of the 2012 Honda Civic are being recalled because of a potential issue with the left driveshaft. The automaker claims that the driveshaft “may not have been properly assembled, potentially allowing it to separate from the outer CV joint while in operation.” While such a separation could result in total loss of power to the wheels and the inability to securely park the vehicle without the use of the parking brake, Honda claims that no incidents related to the issue have been reported. Earlier this year, Honda recalled about 45,800 Honda Odyssey minivans for faulty tailgate struts, 8,700 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX SUVs to fix a problem in the fuel tank, and 1,300 copies of the Honda CR-V to correct a control-arm problem.

Toyota to spend $1.1 billion on unintended acceleration claims

Toyota Motor Corp. is setting aside $1.1 billion to settle various U.S. lawsuits and other claims stemming from reports of unintended acceleration that plagued the automaker in 2009-2010.