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

Chevy Spark Confirmed – the Yanks learn little cars!

All the grief surrounding the big three US makers (less so Ford) revolves around the lack of cars they make that can compete in the world in which we live. No longer, it would seem, are US car buyers prepared to put up with gas-guzzling, low-quality cars. The rise of the Japanese car in the US (Toyota is now the biggest selling car) has put the writing on the wall for years.

Honda P-NUT Concept at LA

The Honda P-NUT at the LA Motor Show This is another of those ‘Lets see what we can make’ type concepts with probably precious little chance of being made. But the Honda ‘Personal-Neo Urban Transport’ – or Honda P-NUT – does make for an interesting micro city car concept. The P-NUT is a three-seat (which sounds great in principle, but all 3-seat cars – McLaren F1 included – are a pain for the driver to get in and out) concept with masses of angular lines and glass, designed to be offered with one of three powertrains – a petrol, petrol-electric hybrid or pure EV.

BMW Concept X4 (2013) first pictures of baby X6 coupe-SUV

This is the BMW Concept X4, which borrows the idea of an SUV with coupe proportions from its X6 brother, and shrinks the template down to the size of an X3. But don't be fooled by the 'Concept' tag of this car – like the Concept 4-series coupe we saw in 2012, the X4 is very much confirmed for production, and will receive only detail styling tweaks before it goes on sale in mid-2014. It'll be built alongside the X3, X5 and X6 models at BMW's Spartanburg factory in the USA from early 2014.