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

Electric BMW 1 Series Concept ActiveE Revealed

The BMW 1 Series ActiveE Concept BMW are ramping up their foray in to electric cars with the reveal of the BMW 1 Series Concept ActiveE which will show at the Detroit Motor Show in January, and takes the company a step further along the electric car line than the MINI E. The starting point for public trials of BMW’s i-Project (for ‘Public Trials’ read ‘We’ll get the punters to suss the problems’) was the front wheel drive MINI E which is out playing on the roads in a limited lease programme in the UK, Germany and the US. The programme has not been without problems including charging issues and poor range, but BMW are quite upfront about this being about seeing how the electric cars work in the real world.

VW and Chinese ‘in talks to buy Vauxhall/Opel’ from GM

GM is considering selling its loss-making European operations, it emerged tonight. If it goes ahead and severs ties with GM Europe, the General would cede control of Vauxhall and Opel, the second biggest car brand in the UK.And in another extraordinary twist, CAR has confirmed that top-level talks have been taking place between Volkswagen and the German government, which is keen to avoid Opel falling into foreign hands. Chinese car makers are circling but Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has close connections to Volkswagen chief Martin Winterkorn, would prefer VW to step up to the plate as a potential buyer than a Chinese brand.

Volvo C70 Inscription to debut at L.A. Motor Show

Volvo C70 Inscription We know that the Volvo C70 – Volvo’s four-seat, tin-top convertible – is not long for this world, so perhaps the news that there’s to be a limited edition C70 – the C70 Inscription – bowing in at the LA Motor Show is the C70′s swansong. Volvo are keen to point out that the C70 was the world’s first four seat convertible with a three piece folding metal roof as standard, which made the C70 a proper all year round convertible; open-topped motoring when the weather permits, and all the joys of a coupe when the skies darken. The C70 Inscription is to be limited to just 2,000 cars worldwide, and you can grab one of those coming to the UK from £33,855 for the D3 SE Inscription.