2016 Nissan Maxima -- Oem Remote Control With Remote Start - $50 on 2040-parts.com

Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.

Jay Leno tests the Venom GT

Five years ago, Hennessey Performance was locked in a high-horsepower battle with supercars from Germany, Italy and the United States. The car Hennessey brought was the Venom 1000 Twin Turbo Viper. After decimating the competition in 0-to-200-mph runs, John Hennessey thought if his company could just stuff the engine into a smaller car, it could go even faster.

Concept Car of the Week: IAD Venus (1989)

In the late '80s, IAD had become one of the most reputable design and engineering companies worldwide. The team developed models such as the first Mazda Miata/MX-5, the Volvo 480 coupé and the Alien concept. At the1989 Tokyo motor show, the firm added another masterpiece to an already outstanding portfolio with the Venus.