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

A look at Chevrolet future products

Based on Chevrolet's vehicle launches over the past few years, a casual observer might not know that General Motors' bow-tie brand still makes trucks. Well-received entries such as the Cruze compact and Sonic subcompact have helped transcend Chevy's image as a trucks-and-sports-cars brand. In coming months, the transformation of Chevy's car lineup will continue with the launches of the Spark minicar, two new engines in the redesigned Malibu and the long-awaited next-generation Impala, due early next year.

Mazda opens new plant in Salamanca, Mexico

Mazda Motor Corp. chairman Takashi Yamanouchi opened the company's new small-car assembly plant in Mexico today, calling it the company's "most important global strategic base." The factory, which will produce up to 230,000 vehicles each year, is a cornerstone of the structural reform plan "upon which the very future of company hinges," Yamanouchi said in remarks prepared for the opening ceremony. "Mazda's Structural Reform Plan, upon which the very future of the company hinges, positions this plant as our most important global strategic base," Yamanouchi said of the factory, which is about three hours northwest of Mexico City in Guanajuato State.

Volkswagen Beetle Dune IS going in to production – expect it in 2016

The VW Beetle Dune (above) will hit showrooms in 2016 Volkswagen went back to its Beetle history with the VW Beetle Dune Concept at Detroit in January, a car that looked close to production-ready even if VW were adamant it was just a concept. There was no more new on the Beetle Dune until late last month when, for no apparent reason, a raft of new photos of the Beetle Dune were released by Volkswagen with the only rationale being they had made the decision to make the Dune a production car. And they have.