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

VW to announce Italdesign takeover on Tuesday

Volkswagen will announce Tuesday that it will take a 90 percent stake in Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A, people familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe. The Giugiaro family will retain 10 percent in the Italian design house that is famous for styling cars such as the first-generation VW Golf. VW plans to acquire control of Italdesign to help reach its goal of becoming the world's largest automaker by 2018 with sales of 10 million vehicles a year.

'400,000 children in smoky cars'

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of children travel in smoke-filled cars every week, a charity has warned. The British Lung Foundation (BLF) estimates that in England more than 430,000 children aged 11 to 15 are exposed to second hand smoke in cars each week. The charity, which conducted analysis on official NHS data, said that 185,000 children of the same age are exposed to smoke while in the family car on "most days", if not every day.

Marc Girard appointed head of Interior Design at BMW Cars

Marc Girard starts his new job as head of the Interior Design department at BMW Automobiles today, taking over the post previously held by Michael Ninic who died unexpectedly last year. His appointment also alleviates some of the pressure put on Adrian van Hooydonk, who has effectively been managing both exterior and interior design departments for BMW Cars as well as acclimatizing to his new role as design director of the BMW Group following Chris Bangle's departure last month. A BMW Group designer for the last 15 years, French-born Girard was most recently team leader for Interior Design at BMW Automobiles, having been promoted from the position of head of interior design at MINI - a role he filled from 2004 to 2006.