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

Honda readies its jet airplane -- for real this time

Honda would like to remind you that while journalists have spent the last few years fretting whether the Big H has "lost its way," the company has quietly launched, shelved, resurrected, and all but waited out its plan to dominate the business-jet skies, which we are to assume are less friendly than United's. The HA-420 HondaJet has been kicking around for more than 10 years now, but the very first production-ready plane just rolled off the assembly line in Greensboro, N.C., this week -- and, Honda promises, the $4.5 million business jet should be delivered in the second quarter of next year. Honda began taking orders for the jet in 2006, but the long recession squashed the market for private jets.

Kia Soulster concept unveiled at Detroit auto show 2009

By Ben Pulman Motor Shows 12 January 2009 13:48 To rub salt into the wounds of the beleaguered Big Three, Korean manufacturer Kia unveiled its own version of the iconic American pick-up truck at the Detroit auto show. But rather than a ultilitarian flat-bed, the Soulster concept is something at the very other end of the scale, designed to drum up interest in the Soul (on which it's based) before the B-segment baby goes on sale later in 2009. The Soulster concept was penned at Kia’s LA design studio – where the original Soul concept was created – and while there are no current production plans, company insiders have said that the right reaction from American customers could see the Soulster become a reality.

GM completes sale of Saab to Spyker

General Motors today completed the sale of its Swedish Saab brand to Dutch luxury sports car maker Spyker Cars NV, marking the first successful sale of one of its four unwanted U.S. brands. The transaction combines Saab Automobile and its 3,400 employees with Spyker Cars and its 110-plus workers.