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

New Honda Civic Type R Concept previews production Type R

The new Honda Civic Type R Concept previews production Type R We had a concept Civic Type R at Geneva earlier this year, but this latest Honda Civic Type R Concept – heading for a debut this week at the Paris Motor Show – almost certainly preview the full production Civic Type R due to arrive in Honda showrooms in 2015. Honda has made sure this Type R Concept is anything but a shrinking violet, giving it a startling blue paintjob with red highlights and keeping the statement massive rear wing intact, complete with quad tail pipes, aggressive rear diffuser and butch body kit. Under the skin of the front-wheel-drive Type R will be a new 2.0-litre i-VTEC which offers more than 278bhp – enough, it’s expected, for a sub-6 second 0-62mph – mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox with a new steer axis control at the front which minimises torque steer so you can get the power down properly.

Lexus LF-A still on the cards

With the car world in turmoil, and buyers running scared of high performance cars, most of the car makers around the world are shelving their high-end projects until things settle down. Honda has announced that it has put its NSX replacement on ice (although it is apparently still going to show it at Detroit) and other manufacturers are concentrating on their frugal products. But Toyota is taking a different tack.

BMW i3 LWB and i8 Roadster planned; BMW i4 & i5 mooted

BMW are already planning more of the BMW-i Range You didn’t really think that BMW would stop with just the BMW i3 City car and the BMW i8 supercar, did you? Surely not, especially after we told you last year that BMW had trademarked all the i-numbers – i1 through to i9. Those BMW i trademarks would suggest that BMW are planning on having at least a pair of cars that sit below the compact i3 – a bit hard to really figure out what they will be – and perhaps a halo grand saloon at the top in the i9.