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

Join AutoWeek and Dutch Mandel for 2011 Mille Miglia coverage

To celebrate the now-annual enthusiast extravaganza more commonly known as the Mille Miglia 1000 in Italy, AutoWeek is getting quality time in a legendary German coupe: the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, commonly referred to simply as the Gullwing. Our own Dutch Mandel is on the road in the Italian countryside. Check out his live tweets, photo galleries, reporting and event history at the AutoWeek Mille Miglia 2011 page.

Chevrolet debuts police-spec Silverado 1500 Crew Cab

Chevrolet has rolled out the Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Special Service Vehicle meant for law enforcement use, and this truck has a few tricks up its sleeve. The SSV package on the Silverado 1500 Crew Cab is coupled with 1W and 1LS trim levels, with the trucks using the 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 producing 355 hp and 383- lb-ft of torque, all while returning as much as 23 mpg on the highway. Things get a little more serious with the addition of a 170-amp high-output alternator and 730-CCA auxiliary battery, which allows occupants to operate the computers, cameras, radios, and emergency lights on the truck.

Petrolhead spiders cause Mazda recall

Mazda has had to recall 42,000 vehicles in the US after it emerged that a species of spider had been weaving webs in fuel vent hoses, increasing the risk of fuel leaks and fires. The yellow sac spider’s curious domestic activities cause a build-up of pressure in the evaporative fuel vent that – in theory at least – could result in a cracked fuel tank and therefore an increased risk of fire. This isn’t the first time that the Mazda 6 has received the unwanted advances of a gas-guzzling arachnid, either – three years ago Mazda had to recall over 50,000 cars for precisely the same reason.