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

17,000 solar panels to power Toyota’s Derbyshire plant

Toyota’s manufacturing plant at Burnaston in Derbyshire, where the Auris and Avensis are built, will install the biggest solar panel system yet seen in a UK car plant.  British Gas, which will stump up the £10 million cost of installing the solar panels, and Toyota are working together to save 2000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. Once the solar panels are installed, they claim it will save enough energy to build approximately 7000 cars a year.

Volkswagen Microbus production could resume in Brazil

The Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi/Microbus may be a classic to our eyes, but it has been in continuous production in Brazil for almost 50 years. Impending legislation that would outlaw the production and importation of cars and trucks without modern safety features such as ABS brakes and airbags was set to put an end to the Kombi production in Brazil, but one lawmaker wants to make an exception for the veteran vehicle, Indian Autos Blog reports. Brazil's finance minister Guido Mantega is arguing that since the Kombi/Microbus has been in production for decades -- before ABS technology and airbags were developed -- it would be unfair to apply the new law to the vehicle.

BMW ConnectedDrive concept

BMW will show the all-new ConnectedDrive concept at the forthcoming Geneva motor show. A pure design study, the concept is said to explore the possibilities of interconnectivity and 'revolutionize driving in terms of comfort, infotainment and safety'. Though the teaser video to the left leaves many questions unanswered, the company is claiming it is 'setting the course for the future'.