Volvo Penta Tamd/kad 41,42,43,44,300 Exhaust Manifold on 2040-parts.com

UPDATED: Honda hints at new European advanced design studio

On the eve of the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda Design's Creative Director, Toshinobu Minami, announced that the company is looking to once again open a design facility in Europe. The announcement came during a presentation at the R&D Center in Waco, just outside the Japanese capital and, while not confirmed, Minami-san strongly hinted that the UK would be a likely candidate to play host to Honda's revitalized European design operations. He cited the country's existing manufacturing and administration facilities, as well as a wealth of new talent from the Royal College of Art in particular.

Jaguar C-X16 (Jaguar XE) Driving Video

Jaguar C-X16 Driving Video Jaguar is making the most of their new small sports car – the Jaguar C-X16 – as it builds onwards and upwards from the début of the C-X16 at Frankfurt last week to the launch of the production car – probably the Jaguar XE – late in 2012 or early 2013. We had rafts of information and photos – and a short video – when the C-X16 bowed in last week, but now we get a more revealing driving video showing the interior and exterior of the C-X16 in more detail, and some driving footage on incredible roads too. Yes, we were a little underwhelmed by the direction the design of the C-X16 has taken – more conservative than we would have liked to have seen – but we have no issues with the design per se – it’s a stunner.

Bentley uses 3D printing to prototype new designs [w/Video]

3D printing is changing the way the world makes things by helping people of all disciplines to enhance and refine their ideas cheaply, quickly and effectively.  Bentley is the latest carmaker to utilize the technology to fabricate and prototype different parts to see how they'll look and work on the finished design. Using 3D printers, designers can produce parts from the exterior and interior such as the grille, tires, headlamps and door handles as well as combine different types of contrasting materials, ranging from hard plastics to rubbers of different tensile strengths.  The technology allows the user to create a solid 3D object straight from a digital model by printing layers of material on top of each other. This process rapidly decreases the delivery time, as parts can be printed overnight, and allows designers to be more creative in their ideas because of the reduced cost. Bentley isn't the first carmaker to use 3D printing technology. Audi announced last year it was beginning to prototype vehicle parts using 3D printers.