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

Toyota to build Corollas at revived Mississippi plant starting in late 2011

Toyota will resume construction on its mothballed plant in Mississippi and begin producing the Corolla there late next year. “We first needed to fully utilize our existing facilities as the economy slowed,” Yoshimi Inaba, president of Toyota Motor North America, said in a statement Thursday. “Now it's time to fulfill Toyota's promise in Mississippi.” The automaker said it will hire 2,000 workers “soon.” Corolla output would mark another shift for the project.

Who's Where: Felix Kilbertus appointed Fiat chief exterior designer

Felix Kilbertus has been appointed Fiat's chief exterior designer. Kilbertus' move sees him cross Turin, from his previous position as a lead designer at Pininfarina, to Centro Stile. In his new role he is responsible for the exterior design of Fiat-branded passenger vehicles.

Audi shifts to eight-speeds for most models

A formal press conference probably won't happen until this summer, but we hear that Audi dealers have received their 2011 order guides, and it looks as though the company will be going from 0 to about 70 percent of U.S. sales being eight-speed automatic transmissions. Beginning this fall, the eight-speed will replace today's six-speed automatic in the A4 2.0-liter turbo sedan and wagon, the A5 2.0-liter turbo coupe and cabriolet, the Q5 2.0-liter turbo, the Q7 3.0-liter turbo, the Q7 diesel, the Q7 with the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 and the all-new A8 and A8L with the 4.2-liter V8.