Trail Tech X2 Eclipse Hid Headlight - Black - Kawasaki Klx 450 R _36e2d-70 on 2040-parts.com

Alfa Romeo to go all-RWD

And Alfa Romeo's saga of restructuring, postponing and rejiggering continues, swathed in announcements, reports, rumor and innuendo. A few months ago, the product plan at the Italian automaker centered around the existing MiTo and Giulietta (cousins of the 500 and Dart, respectively), the almost-at-hand 4C, the upcoming Giulia sedan and the Duetto, a roadster based on the next Miata. Forget that.

2011 Honda CR-Z starts at less than $20,000

The first mainstream hybrid with a six-speed manual, the 2011 Honda CR-Z, will sticker at a shade less than $20,000 when it arrives on the market on Aug. 24. Honda announced pricing for the sporty compact two-seater on Tuesday, and a base car with the manual starts at $19,950, including a $750 destination charge.

Old is new again: Will a floor-hinged throttle pedal be in your future?

If you think that every little nut, bolt, switch, gear or widget in your new car wasn't scrutinized by a team of highly educated, overworked car geeks (read: engineers), think again. A couple of recent conversations with automotive engineers confirmed that virtually nothing that goes into a car today is taken for granted. During the recent Pebble Beach weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with an engineer for Jaguar, and the subject turned to materials used for various switches in the cabin.