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

BAC Mono: Fancy a Drive?

RS Academy grabs the first two BAC Monos Last month we reported on a new single-seat road car that offers more thrills than a garage full of hypercars for less than the cost of an M5 – the BAC Mono. The brothers Briggs - Briggs Automotive Company – have created the beautifully built, finished and specified Mono as the world’s only single-seat production car (well, the only one that’s actually made it in to production, anyway). Weighing no more than Kylie after a heavy diet, the Mono can scoot to 60mph in just 2.8 seconds before running out of steam somewhere around 170mph.

New techniques cut cost of carbon fiber

Carbon fiber, once so costly that it was the preferred material only for fighter planes and supercars, is catching the attention of weight-conscious automakers. Carbon fiber's cost is falling dramatically, thanks to production advances that let suppliers speed the material's finicky, and costly, curing process. One technological breakthrough that makes carbon-fiber auto parts more affordable may come from a process used to make carbon-fiber golf clubs.

Fiat previews the 500X small crossover

Fiat gave an unexpected sneak preview of a crossover variant of its 500 minicar. The model, which will be called the 500X, will go on sale in Europe in early 2014 and shortly after in North America. Fiat brand global boss Olivier Francois showed a full-size styling model of the 500X during the media launch on the 500L small minivan in Turin, Italy, on July 4.