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

Listen: Upcoming Ford Focus ST to employ sound symposer

While BMW employs a digitally sanitized/perfected sound file to give M5 owners the proper sense of aggro urgency when motoring at pace, Porsche went a little more organic with its employment of a sound symposer to feed the 911's flat-six growl into the cabin of the extra-refined 991. Essentially, the sound symposer is an electrically controlled diaphragm in a tuned sound tube that brings the proper engine noises into the passenger compartment. It can be opened and closed by the car's onboard electronics to offer snarl when you want it and serenity when you don't.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally to deliver keynote address at CES

Ford is continuing to double-down on its Sync technology as a way to separate itself from competitors, and in that theme CEO Alan Mulally will again deliver a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas. He's expected to unveil the next round of Ford's Sync features at the show, which is a bellwether event for the technology industry. He also spoke at last year's show, and former GM CEO Rick Wagoner addressed it in 2008 as part of efforts by auto execs to showcase new innovations in their cars.

New Mercedes ML to be the Mercedes GLE

The Mercedes Concept Coupe (pictured) will arrive as the Mercedes GLE Coupe Car makers’ model ranges have grown massively in recent years and that, in a lot of cases, has left traditional model designations floundering to inform potential buyers. Mercedes has made some moves of late to address the lack of clarity in model designations (the Mercedes CL, for example, has become the new Mercedes S-Class Coupe), and new models have started to arrive with more descriptive names. Models like the CLA (a coupe from the A-Class range) and GLA (an SUV/Crossover from the A-Class range) and that looks set to be extended when the next Mercedes ML and ML Coupe arrive in 2015.