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

No sign of global auto meltdown at Tokyo Auto Salon

With more than 600 cars on display and a record number of exhibitors, nothing at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon tuner show hinted at the global economic downturn. As always, there was a great mix of styles, from hard-core, 1,000-hp, supertuned machinery to weird customized scooter tricycles. Auto manufacturers tried hard to capture the minds--if not the wallets--of the younger-than-30 crowd with customized versions of production cars, while tuners were busy persuading power junkies to choose them for their next engine modification.

Who’s Where: Andreas Deufel, Design Director, Great Wall Motors

Since the start of the year, Andreas Deufel has officially been Director of Design at Great Wall Motors (GWM) in China. In his role, he is responsible for GWM's three design studios, all in Bao Ding, yet he still maintains his position as Design Director at TJ Innova Auto and Design & Engineering (TJI), where he is also responsible for three studios. Deufel's appointment to the position as Design Director at GWM was anything but conventional.

2012 Infiniti M35h gets cheaper to run

2012 Infiniti M35h gets more frugal The 2012 Infinit M35h has been tweaked to lower its emissions and improve its economy, meaning real savings for company car drivers. We’re not the biggest fans of hybrid powertrains, it’s true to say, but that has more to do with the staggering amount car makers charge to offer the complex technology. But Infiniti is different, and their M35h costs just £1180 more than the comparable M30d with a diesel engine.