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

Hot seats: from design to delivery [sponsored]

As the user demands on car interiors are increasingly influenced by their growing design consciousness, so suppliers like Lear strive to bring better-engineered seating to satisfy. 2013 was another big year for Lear, as Jeanette Puig-Pey, its global fabric & leather design manager, enthuses: "At our ‘Design2Perform' event we celebrated the unveiling of our brand new collection, with special emphasis on color and texture and our TeXstyle Enhance product, perfect for customization. Laser etching is part of this offering, it is exclusive to Lear Corporation and can be used to add refined design elements to cloth and leather." A mix of fabric and leather in seating is not new but is often seen by the consumer as a cheaper alternative to full leather.

2013 Dodge Viper testing is under way

Dodge boss Ralph Gilles made an interesting comment at the Chicago auto show. Dressed in a black blazer and a “made in Detroit” T-shirt, he cracked, "My Dodge Viper is in training for the supercar Olympics. It's gone for a couple of years." That's more than a glib comment.

Faster Gumpert Apollo model to debut in Geneva

They may not be lookers, but there is no denying the performance credentials of Roland Gumpert's Apollo sports cars. With the base 650-hp engine package, the brainchild of the former director of Audi Sport is capable of reaching 60 mph in less than three seconds with a top speed or more than 200 mph. But now Gumpert is planning to reveal a faster chapter in the line at next month's Geneva motor show with the Apollo Speed.