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

Help Kickstart this book of 75 top designers' innermost thoughts

New material from interviews with over 75 of the world's most talented designers of all disciplines will feature in a new book from the maker of the design documentaries 'Helvetica', 'Objectified' and 'Urbanized'. For the three documentaries director Gary Hustwit recorded over a hundred hours of interviews but less than three hours were used. But instead of keeping the treasure trove secret, he has collated them into a new book, ‘Helvetica/Objectified/Urbanized: The Complete Interviews' so designers in all fields can share in them.

Opel Ampera: the full, official technical story

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 25 March 2009 10:05 Opel/Vauxhall predict that the new Ampera production car will sell more in Britain than anywhere else in Europe. The extended range electric vehicle, unveiled at the recent 2009 Geneva motor show, will go on sale here in late 2011 and marketing bosses say the UK is more accepting of hybrids and alternative vehicles than other markets. It’s not clear at this stage how much the Ampera will cost in the UK, but we’re looking at a likely cost around £20,000.

Mini may drop Paceman, Coupe, and Roadster

Mini may discontinue the Paceman, Coupe, and Roadster models as it seeks to trim its lineup, following the introduction of the third-generation Mini Cooper three-door Hardtop. Instead, the company plans to focus on three "pillar" models: the Hardtop, the Countryman, and the Clubman. The third model, the Clubman, is technically still speculative as the company presented a Clubman only in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show last week, but given the amount of real-world testing of Clubman prototypes observed, coupled with the production-ready appearance of the Clubman Concept, this model is virtually assured to reach production in its current form.