David Clark H10-40 Headset on 2040-parts.com

Australian couple breaks Guinness record for fuel economy

An Australian couple has broken their own record for fuel economy, light-footing it across the lower 48 American states to the tune of 67.90 mpg. Helen and John Taylor beat the mark of 58.82 mpg that they set last year, landing them again in the Guinness Book of Records. They drove a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI for both runs.

Fewer people being killed in car-truck collisions, study finds

Death rates in crashes between big trucks and cars dropped 64 percent in 2008-09 compared with 2000-01, according to an insurance-industry study of government data. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety cited changes in vehicle design, particularly for SUVs and pickups, as a key factor in the decline. The number of deaths for car and minivan passengers involved in crashes with larger vehicles fell from 44 per million in 2000-01 to 16 deaths per million in 2008-09, the study found.

Video: A look inside CATLY's studio walls and Toyota FT-1 concept development

Motor Trend has taken a look inside the studio walls of CALTY to produce a documentary of the design development of a star of last week's Detroit auto show, the Toyota FT-1 concept. Toyota's Californian design studio has been responsible for some of the company's best recent work including the Lexus LF-LC concept. In this episode of Downshift, Motor Trend spoke to some of those behind the FT-1's design – Kevin Hunter, CALTY Research president, studio chief designer Alex Shen and William Chergosky, interior chief designer.