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

Ford's NA Design Director aims to shorten product lifecycles

Peter Horbury, Ford Motor Company North America Design Director, has told Automotive News he intends to shorten product lifecycles at the ailing company from an average five years to three years starting this decade. "We feel there is no value in minor changes but a huge value in major changes," Horbury told the industry weekly. Ford needs to ensure that buyers continue visiting showrooms as the giant automaker struggles to retain market share.

The Little Car Show in Monterey, California

They say that big is beautiful, and in the US it’s true that XXL tends to win every time. But in the run up to the Pebble Beach Concours there’s an event which is under the radar for many Monterey showgoers – the little car show. Held in the backstreets of Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula and free to enter, The Little Car Show sees around 100 cars gathered to celebrate being small.

Concept Car of the Week: Buick Wildcat (1985)

Before the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas became the capital of obnoxious extravagance, car manufacturers and suppliers saw it as an opportunity to exhibit their latest innovations, giving the public an exciting insight into the future of automobiles. This is when, in 1985, Buick unveiled the totally unexpected Wildcat concept, which broke radically with the brand's stodgy image. Proportionally, the weight is placed forward, with a thin and low tail.