New! Scytek Mobilink 5000 Smartphone Integration Remote Start Car Alarm System on 2040-parts.com

Detroit Auto Show 2004 Trends and Overview

Where last year's Detroit Auto Show was all about horsepower and luxury, this year's show was more muted, with few truly outstanding cars making shockwaves. The main contender, the Chrysler ME Four-Twelve, didn't create anything like the reaction of the Cadillac Sixteen last year and seemed a bit late to the party, with its massive power and excessive styling. And after all the hype, shouldn't it have been a Dodge, the power brand of DaimlerChrysler, rather than just a Chrysler?For the past couple of years the show has been dominated by truck and SUV launches, so it was good to see the focus shifting back towards cars once again.

Ford testing self-parking cars – with or without a driver (video)

Ford testing self-parking cars – with or without a driver It seems we’re heading to the point where cars can do more and more for the driver, and fully autonomous cars seem to be less than a decade away. On the way to the fully autonomous car, car makers will be offering stages on the way as the ability of cars to be self-controlling moves along, and Ford are heading in that direction with their new systems for parking and obstacle avoidance. Ford are running prototypes with Fully Assisted Parking, a system that manages to sense a space, control the steering, gearbox and brakes to park the car at the touch of a button, even if the driver isn’t actually in the car.

Volkswagen Routan (2008): first official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 07 February 2008 14:38 Volkswagen’s Routan minivan is here, with European-inspired style for the US masses. Based on a Chrysler Grand Voyager the Routan is over five metres long and will use the American car’s engines. In standard form the Routan will be powered by a 3.8-litre 194bhp V6, mated to a six speed automatic ‘box.