New Pontiac Solstice Gxp Emblem 15247731 on 2040-parts.com

Toyoda testimony: As automaker grew, safety suffered

Toyota Motor Corp. president Akio Toyoda plans to tell lawmakers on Wednesday that the company regrettably chased growth at the expense of safety in recent years, and he will announce steps to improve Toyota's handling of customer complaints. Toyoda's written testimony to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee says the automaker's priorities “became confused.” “We pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to develop our people and our organization,” Toyoda says.

'Crash for cash' scams soar by 51%

THE NUMBER of "crash for cash" car insurance scams uncovered by a major insurer surged by 51% annually last year. Aviva said it had detected around 820 staged accidents in 2013, leading to some 2,200 fraudulent personal injury claims. It is pressing for tougher penalties and said that often, rather than being locked up, fraudsters end up being sentenced to community orders, which "do little" to deter them from re-offending.

GM's Ed Welburn walks Jay Leno through the Elmiraj concept's design [w/Video]

General Motors' vice president Global Design Ed Welburn stars in the latest of the 'Jay Leno's Garage' YouTube series, running the talk-show host through some of the new Cadillac Elmiraj concept's design features and what it means for the brand's future. We get a look at all the classic Cadillac design cues such as the vertical headlamps and tail lamps as well as the central hard crease that Welburn says is "important in every Cadillac". Leno and Welburn then move onto the Elmiraj's features, such as the large doors' integrated handles and the slimmer A-pillars before a more in-depth look at one of the concept's most striking features – the grille.