1968 Chevelle Lt Door Malibu Ss Convertible Hardtop 68 on 2040-parts.com

Ford future products: New vehicles get lighter, faster and move upscale

Ford Motor Co.'s future-product focus is on improved fuel economy by making its vehicles smaller and engines lighter without sacrificing performance, safety or luxury. It also wants to push the Ford brand more upscale to capture customers orphaned by the shutdown of the Mercury brand, and to attract new buyers with more product offerings. Ford has said 90 percent of its North American nameplates will be available with direct-injection turbocharged EcoBoost engines as standard equipment or as an option by 2013.

New Toyota Auris starts rolling out at Burnaston

The new 2013 Toyota Auris – Toyota’s modern Corolla – has commenced production at the Toyota plant in Burnaston. Toyota revealed the new Auris back in August – ahead of a public debut at the Paris Motor Show – which, although pretty much the previous Auris when you dig deep, does offer a more dynamic look and the promise of better driving dynamics too. With the new Auris a big deal for Toyota in Europe, Toyota are trumpeting the start of Auris production in Burnaston and have rolled out Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, to mark the occasion.

German Parts Pillagers Roam the American Southwest, Sending Treasures Home For Future Car Museum

Quite a few older European cars are purchased in rust-free parts of the United States and then shipped back to the home continent, and this process tends to intensify when the Euro gets stronger versus the dollar. While that's going on, crews of European gearheads also roam the wrecking yards of the Southwest, filling shipping containers with parts to ship back home; I know of a trio of Swedes who come to Colorado every year and ship home tons of parts, but they've got nothing on this pair of Germans. These gentlemen fly to the United States four times each year, spending two or three weeks each trip, and send home cars and shipping containers packed with parts, all as part of a scheme to open up a car collection showcasing "cars from the road." They were kind enough to send me a bunch of photos of their most recent trip, so let's see what their enviable lifestyle looks like.