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

2014 Beijing Motor Show: weird and wonderful Chinese cars

The Chinese auto industry might not be the most important in the world yet, but it’s getting there. It’s already the top market for a large number of top-tier brands like Mercedes-Benz, and the industry has progressed to the point where companies including Nissan are setting up brands specifically to cater to the needs of Chinese buyers. But as far as Chinese brands go, things are very much a work in progress.

Entries open for Opel/Vauxhall Interactive Design Competition

Entries can now be submitted to the interactive design competition from  Opel/Vauxhall, in partnership with CDN, which asks students: "What do you think is our lounge style?"  Students are invited to upload their entries to the competition website www.cardesigncontest.com, where they can be viewed and commented upon by the design community as well as other students. CDN and Opel/Vauxhall is encouraging entrants to start uploading material from day one to increase their changes of getting useful feedback on their entries. The competition judges, as well as the design community and other students, will be looking at your research imagery and mood boards, sketches, renderings and video – whatever you feel best represents your vision.

Hyundai ix35 Facelift goes further in Korea – and looks better for it

Last year we had spy shots of the Hyundai ix35 facelift floating round Korea – Hyundai’s home market – which showed a much more convincing nose than the, then, ix35 in Europe, but they eventually turned out to be photos of the ix35 FCEV which Hyundai had given a nose much more like the new Santa Fe and which we thought pointed at the 2013 facelift for the ix35. But when the Hyundai ix35 did turn up at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show with a bit of a titivate, it was exactly that – some very minor tweaking which kept the 2013 ix35 looking very similar to the 2012 model. But that’s not happening in Korea.