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

VW to intro Passat BlueMotion Concept at Detroit auto show

While performance heads are anxiously awaiting the North American debut of the hot-heat Mk VII Golf R at the Detroit auto show, Volkswagen's Passat BlueMotion Concept offers never-before technology in the Yank/Canuck family sedan segment: a four-pot motor with cylinder deactivation. Based on the EA211 1.4L turbo motor we sampled last year in the Euro-market Audi A3 sedan, the Passat BlueMotion Concept's engine is capable of shutting down the middle two cylinders during cruise, and features the Jetta Hybrid's gearbox, a twin-clutch unit capable of decoupling from the engine during off-throttle coasting. In the Passat's application, the 1.4 puts out 150 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque; VW suggests its highway fuel economy will stand at 42 mpg.

GM launches Corvette ads on television

WITH VIDEO -- The first work from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners' new client, General Motors' Chevrolet, is out, and it's a testosterone-filled, 45-second TV spot for the 2011 Corvette. The ad, which aired for the first time Tuesday night on ESPN, marks GM's return to TV advertising for the Corvette after a five-year absence. Titled "Still Building Rockets," the commercial shows footage of rocket scientists juxtaposed with snapshots of GM plant workers building a Corvette.

General Motors buys Suzuki's stake in Canadian assembly plant

General Motors and Suzuki Motor Corp. are ending their CAMI joint assembly operation in Canada, with Suzuki selling its 50 percent stake to GM in a move that severs another tie between the partners. Neither company disclosed the timing or pricing of the sale, which was announced Friday.