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

Automakers need love, not just quality, Strategic Vision study shows

Strategic Vision, a company that studies how and why consumers make decisions, released its yearly Total Quality Index on July 12, and the results might be surprising. The study found that love--how much or what part of a car that people like--is more important than the number of problems a car has when choosing a vehicle. For example Ford, which was a quality leader in the study, received a number of complaints about its Sync system.

The next McLaren supercar will be called the 650S

We've known that McLaren has a pair of additional models in the works, including a Porsche 911-fighting, 12C-based sports car known only as the P13 and another car positioned between the 12C and the P1. Previously, we'd heard the code name “P15” tossed around in reference to that latter car, but McLaren has officially christened it the 650S ahead of its world debut at the upcoming Geneva motor show. According to the automaker, the 650S “takes learnings from both the 12C as well as the sell-out McLaren P1 [ed note: there has to be a better way to say that] and will be positioned between the two on McLaren Automotive's supercar grid.“ We liked the 12C, and we really, really liked the P1.

Mercedes S-Class production increased to meet demand

Mercedes S-Class production increased We’ve reported recently on the strong sales Mercedes is enjoying with the new A-Class (and its swoopy-coupe sibling CLA), but it’s not just Mercedes compact cars that are flying out of showrooms. Mercedes has revealed it’s having to increase production at its plant in Sindelfingen by prolonging shifts by 74 minutes (after increasing them by 30 minutes earlier this year) in order to churn out enough S-Class cars to meet strong demand. But it’s not just the S-Class (as well as the A-Class cars) that are selling strongly, Mercedes are also upping production at Bremen to build more GLK and C-Class models.