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

Volkswagen creates driving style-linked music app

VOLKSWAGEN has created a new smartphone that improvises its own music based on how the car is being driven. Working with British electronic musicians Underworld, Volkswagen has built the experimental ‘Play the Road’ app to help celebrate the launch of the seventh generation Golf GTI. It works by connecting to the car and using its own in-built accelerometer to analyse speed, engine revs, steering, throttle and braking inputs and the urgency of each to create a unique, ever-changing music that ranges from serene background chillout vibes to fast-paced electronica.

2013 Mazda MX-5 Facelift on sale next week

The mildly revised 2013 Mazda MX-5 – with a new nose and some minor tweaks – goes on sale in the UK on 1st December. Perhaps the only really noticeable bit of the ‘upgrade’ for the MX-5 is a tweaked nose with a slightly bolder front bumper, but there are other changes too. The seven model MX-5 lineup for 2013 sees the arrival of the 2.0-litre MX-5 Sport Tech Nav models – yes, you guessed it, they get SatNav – and the bonnet gets an active bonnet system to pop up if you happen to scoop up a passing pedestrian, mitigating injuries.

Electric Land Rover Defender at Geneva 2013

Land Rover has built seven electric Defenders to act as research vehicles for EVs off-road. All seven Defender EVs will be at Geneva 2013. What it is is the 2013 Land Rover Defender – in a variety of body styles – with the diesel gubbins removed and replaced with a big bank of batteries and an electric motor, as Land Rover try to find out if EV off-roaders have real world application possibilities.