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

Vehicle dependability surged in 2009, J.D. Power survey finds

In the depths of the Great Recession that threatened their existence, automakers built better vehicles. A lot better. The improvement in dependability of three-year-old 2009 vehicles from the year before was one of the biggest ever measured in the J.D.

Kia Pro_Cee’d GT Turbo teased

The Kia Pro Cee’d GT – complete with the 1.6 litre petrol turbo from the Veloster with 200bhp – is being teased by Kia. We reported last month that Kia are planning to put the 200bhp, 1.6 litre Turbo from the Hyundai Veloster in to the new Pro_cee’d three door to create a hot little coupe, and now Kia has caught up with that news with the first tease for the Pro_cee’d GT. It’s probably best to take the teaser photo of the Pro_cee’d GT with a pinch of salt – it’s a typically extreme rendering of the car we’ll actually get – but it does demonstrate that Kia want to differentiate the Pro_cee’d GT from the more prosaic models.

Chrysler unveils new ads to follow 'Halftime in America' campaign

A quartet of 60-second spots from the Chrysler/Fiat group launching this weekend comprises the next installment of the automaker's campaign that began famously during the Super Bowl with the two-minute "Halftime in America" commercial. Or, as Chrysler terms it, this is "the second half." The spots, all the work of ad agency Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, each aimed at a different company brand, are themed to the same "hope and encouragement" message delivered by Clint Eastwood in the campaign's first incarnation and continue the spirit of the "Imported from Detroit" motto. You can watch the ads at www.youtube.com/chrysler.