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

McLaren managing director on leave, not expected in Geneva

McLaren Automotive's U.S.-born managing director, Antony Sheriff, is expected to be absent from the launch of the P1 hypercar at Geneva next week because he is on extended leave from the company. No reason for Sheriff's absence has been given, although McLaren is at pains to point out that he is “still employed as McLaren Automotive's managing director.” Rumors were circulating about Sheriff's absence from Woking in January, but company spokesmen back then stressed that he was still employed by McLaren and would unveil the P1 at Geneva. Despite those assurances, sources had reported earlier in the year that Sheriff “hadn't been seen in his office” for some days.

BMW M135i (2012) first official pictures

This is the new BMW M135i, a 316bhp hot hatch and the fifth model to emerge from BMW's new M Performance Automobiles tuning arm. We've already seen the 5-series (in saloon and Touring guises) and the X5 and X6 with triple-turbo diesel engines from this new sub-division of BMW's infamous M Division, but the M135i the first petrol offering. The M135i was previewed by a concept car at the 2012 Geneva motor show earlier this year, and the production version is little different.

Team Lotus snaps up Caterham +video

Team Lotus buys Caterham Cars - and a Team Lotus Special Edition Seven to celebrate Team Lotus – that’s the ‘Lotus’ F1 run by Tony Fernandes, not the Hethel mob run by Dany Bahar – has bought Caterham Cars from Corven Ventures for an undisclosed sum. Which is all very apposite, what with Caterham being the spiritual home of Colin Chapman’s Lotus Seven and keeper of the Chapman ethos of lighter is better. To tie Caterham back in to the Lotus name could work wonders for sales.