Mercury Exhaust Tube Seal Nos 37721001 on 2040-parts.com

No sign of global auto meltdown at Tokyo Auto Salon

With more than 600 cars on display and a record number of exhibitors, nothing at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon tuner show hinted at the global economic downturn. As always, there was a great mix of styles, from hard-core, 1,000-hp, supertuned machinery to weird customized scooter tricycles. Auto manufacturers tried hard to capture the minds--if not the wallets--of the younger-than-30 crowd with customized versions of production cars, while tuners were busy persuading power junkies to choose them for their next engine modification.

Range Rover Evoque Convertible Concept (2012)

Land Rover is exploring a convertible version of the Evoque, and will make a production decision ‘within six months’. Design director Gerry McGovern unveiled the ‘fresh out of the workshop’ concept at Pinewood Studios today (February 24); the car will make its public debut at the Geneva show in March. The Evoque convertible concept has a powered soft-top roof with a glass rear screen, which stows in a recess below the rear deck.

2011 Kia Magentis / Kia Optima revealed

Kia has revealed the 2011 Kia Optima / Kia Magentis ahead of a reveal at the New York Motor Show in April You might reasonably expect that Kia are teasing the 2011 Kia Magentis (or Kia Optima, as it is in the US) ahead of a reveal at the Geneva Motor Show. After all, every other car maker is at it at the moment. But Kia are teasing this ahead of the next big motor show after Geneva – the 2010 New York Motor Show – which isn’t until April.