Merc to revive straight six, plus 4cyl and smaller V8s

Mercedes has just signed off a new engine family which will see most full-sized Mercs in future run four-cylinders, downsized V8s and… straight sixes. A friendly Mercedes engineer recently met CAR to disclose the engine plans for future models, including the surprise disclosure that Merc plans to switch to straight sixes, like its rivals over in Munich.  It's fair to say I almost choked on my breakfast croissant when I found out the details of the next MB engine generation which has just been signed off for release in 2015. Mercedes' future four-cylinder engines Again, there will be a family of new low-cost fours, and the big-bore V8s will be replaced by a series of downsized turbocharged 4.0-litre units.

Ferrari, Ford and McLaren scoop top engine award honours for 2013

Think 'International Engine of the Year' awards would just concentrate on frugal, downsized powertrains? Not so. Along with Ford and VW's fuel-saving efforts, Ferrari and McLaren have been recognised for building the world's best engines in the 2013 awards.

2015 Volkswagen Passat – the 10 things you need to know

What will the 2015 Volkswagen Passat look like? Well, VW has teased us with a set of pictures and various technical details of the all-new Passat, which will go on sale next year. Demand for traditional family saloons has fallen dramatically in recent years, but  Volkswagen is going after that section of the car-buying market – as well as the BMW 3 Series  and the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class – with its new 2015 Passat.