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

Seat Leon and Altea facelifts (2009) first photos

By Ben Whitworth First Official Pictures 09 February 2009 12:36 Seat has given its Altea and Leon ranges a neat visual facelift, complemented by the introduction of new common rail diesel engines and enhanced levels of luxury and safety kit. The new-look models will make their debut at the Geneva motorshow in early March, alongside the new Exeo estate and a yet-to-be-seen Ecomotive concept. According to Seat, the new-look Altea and Leon families adopt Seat’s ‘Arrow Design’ look introduced on the Ibiza by Seat design boss and ex-Lamborghini designer Luc Donckerwolke to create a more consistent visual look to the Spanish range.

Mercedes start the tease for the 2014 S63 AMG

Mercedes are teasing the arrival of the new S63 AMG (pictured) The 2014 Mercedes S Class has already made its debut, at least in ‘standard’ guise, but there’s a lot more to come. There’s the S-Class Coupe – which will replace the current CL – and there’s the new S-Class Pullman – which will replace the Maybach. But the next instalment for the new S-Class will be the performance S63 AMG, which we’re expecting to arrive at Frankfurt in a couple of months, and ahead of that Mercedes is starting to tease its arrival.

Porsche announces new Weissach design center and wind tunnel

Porsche is to invest around €150m into its Weissach development facility, including a new design center. The plans also include an electronics integration department and a state-of-the art, on-site wind tunnel, which is hoped will allow the company to realize an holistic approach to efficient design, with a strong focus on aerodynamics. When we spoke with head of Porsche design, Michael Mauer, at this year's Paris motor show, he also alluded to the fact that the Volkswagen Group's – and, more specifically, Walter de'Silva's – recent influence on the German manufacturer was shifting its attitudes: "The Volkswagen Group has a very good understanding of how much freedom a brand needs to keep its characteristics and with [Walter] as 'conductor', I feel a lot of support with design issues within the company," explained Mauer.