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

Crunch watch Dec 08: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard and Simon Stiel Motor Industry 31 December 2008 14:05 Wednesday 31 December 2008• GMAC, GM's finance arm, said it would immediately revise its criteria for providing loans, after the US government bail-out of the General's credit arm. It will now supply credit for anyone with a score of 621 or more on the Fico scale, the scale used to assess Amercian customers' creditworthiness (Financial Times)• The news means that 80% of US consumers would now qualify for a loan from GMAC – which should improve sales in the depressed US market (Detroit News)• Chrysler is being lambasted for taking out full-page adverts in the American national press thanking the nation for supporting its auto industry. But critics point out this is a fresh waste of bail-out resources, as pages in the Wall Street Journal – one of the titles in which the ad ran – reportedly cost up to $264,000.

Caterham Seven 160 (2013) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 22 October 2013 11:30 In an era when we’re all crying out for lighter, less complicated, more fuel efficient cars (at a moderately affordable price) here’s the model enthusiasts have surely been waiting for: the new Caterham Seven 160. Despite developing just 80bhp from its turbocharged 660cc Suzuki engine, the Seven 160 will scamper to 60mph in just 6.5sec. Read on for the full spec of this hero of downsizing.

Pagani Huayra in Purple with Tricolour Calipers (video)

We have video of what looks like a new build Pagani Huayra, still plastic wrapped, in purple with Italian Tricolour brake calipers. That’s because the Pagani Huayra has not, as far as we can tell, managed to get a European Certificate of Conformity or managed to be Federalised for the US, so sales are impossible. But Pagani are still producing a few cars – although they’ve probably built more Zondas in the last two years than Huayras – but it looks like this Huayra – caught on video outside Pagaini’s premises in Modena – is a new build.