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

Volvo V40 Cross Country & V40 R-Design: Paris 2012

Volvo has revealed the V40 Cross Country and V40 R-Design at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, and both are convincing. The sporty take on the new V40 is the V40 R-design, a cosmetic update for the already good-looking V40 that manages to bolt on go-faster bits without wrecking the good lines of the normal V40. We would like to have seen the Volvo V40 R-Design get the sports suspension as standard, but Volvo obviously feel that most R-Design buyers want the looks rather than the more dynamic ride the sports suspension offers, so it stays as an option. And as the R-Design option is available across the new V40 range – from the D2 to the T4 – it’s probably the right decision.

Volvo S60 Polestar goes in to production

It sounded like a plan to put it in to production – even if it would probably need twin turbos to make it nicely wieldy on the road – and that’s exactly what Volvo and Polestar have done. The Volvo S60 Polestar has gone in to limited production, initially for the Australian market, but instead of the mighty 508bhp of the concept it has to make do with a more pedestrian 350bhp, little more than the V60 we reviewed last year with the Polestar upgrade. But the extra power is enough to get the production S60 Polestar to 62mph in 4.9 seconds and, thanks to tweaks to the suspension, brakes and aerodynamics, the S60 Polestar looks like it will be able to handle the power quite well.

Aston Martin Virage dropped – to be replaced by new DB9

Less than eighteen months since it debuted – and after just over 1,000 cars – Aston Martin is dropping the Virage. The Aston Martin Virage always seemed a bit of a stretch too far for Aston Martin, and so it has proved. After a lifespan of no more than eighteen months – and with just over 1000 cars built – Aston Martin has decided that there are just too few buyers who feel the Virage is enough of a step up from the DB9 to warrant the extra cost.