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

VW Golf R 400 could get more than 400PS – which makes a bit of a nonsense of its name

The VW Golf R 400 (pictured) may not actually be an R 400 The Beijing Motor Show last month saw the debut of the VW Golf R 400, an extreme take on the VW Golf R with a full 400 PS (395bhp) at its disposal. When Volkswagen revealed the R 400 as a concept we did note that it looked more production-ready than concept, and it took VW less than a week to confirm that the Golf R 400 was indeed heading for production. Now, just to muddy the waters a bit (or raise expectations), VW’s R&D chief Heinz-Jakob Neusser has said that when the Golf R 400 does arrive it could well be with more than 400PS.

Renault-Nissan and Mercedes get very cosy

The Mercedes Twingo? Almost, but not quite In yet another – highly expected – sign that the future for car makers is more and more co-operation, Renault-Nissan and Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) have today announced a wide-ranging alliance which will see much of the output of each company utilised by the other. Top of the list for starters is the joint development of the platform for the next SmartForTwo which will be shared by the next generation Twingo.

RCA Citroen/Exa Double Challenge project

Second year students at the Royal College of Art in London revealed a series of projects at their interim degree show last week. Developed in collaboration with French automaker Citroen and the Exa Corporation, a leading supplier of aerodynamic software, the Double Challenge project asked students to design an ultra-compact model that could establish a unique Citroën e-vehicle aesthetic for the future, all while adhering to certain aerodynamic criteria that would not only reduce energy consumption and ensure stability at speed, but also visually communicate efficiency through its design. The project, which kicked off in October last year, was closely followed by representatives from Citroen and Exa, who examined each of the projects and chose a winner, Heikki Juvonen, at the event last week.