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

Mystery Mercedes 600 six-door Landaulet heads to auction

There are ambitious project cars, and then there is this: a 1971 Mercedes-Benz600 Six-Door Pullman Landaulet that'll be offered at RM Auctions' Retromobile sale in Paris on Feb. 5. One of just 26 built, this example was recently rescued from the state motor pool of an unnamed African country with the consignor unwilling to reveal the car's exact provenance.

Tesla pays off its government loans

Tesla paid off the last of its $465 million government loans May 22, nine years ahead of schedule, thus outperforming most U.S. college graduates and the vast majority of American homeowners. Tesla used funds from a stock offering to finish the loan with a whopping bank transfer of $451.8 million Wednesday, pointing out that it was “…the only American car company to have fully repaid the government.” Apparently no one at Tesla was even born when Lee Iacocca paid off Chrysler's $1.2-billion government bailout ahead of schedule back in 1983.

VW Touareg (2010) first official photos

By Chris Chilton First Official Pictures 10 February 2010 20:00 Volkswagen’s all-new Touareg range includes a clever hybrid version that can hit 62mph in 6.5sec or travel 30 miles on electric power alone.Set for a Geneva motor show unveil in March  2010 alongside the Porsche Cayenne – with which it once again shares a platform and most of its hardware – the new lower, curvier Touareg is 40mm longer than the car it replaces but up to 208kg lighter. Just like Georg Kacher predicted years ago.What's new on the 2010 VW Touareg?There are three engines from launch. Two diesels:• 3.0 V6 TDI, 237bhp, 405 lb ft, 38mpg, 195 g/km• 4.2 V8 TDI, 335bhp, 590 lb ft, 31mpg, 239 g/kmAnd the hybrid:• Supercharged 3.3 V6 TSI, 328bhp, 265 lb ft (374bhp and 428 lb ft with the electric assist), 34.4 mpg, 193 g/kmVW Touareg Hybrid: how clean?Those figures would make the VW hybrid massively less green than the Lexus RX450h (148g/km, 45mpg).