04 Pacifica Engine Ecm Fwd Thru 7/11/03 301837 on 2040-parts.com

North East worst for road safety

THE NORTH EAST of England has the worst rates for deaths and serious injuries on England’s roads according to data from the Department for Transport. In 2012, the number of deaths and serious injuries in the North East increased by 8%, with an extra 65 incidents recorded compared to 854 in 2011. The South East of England, which suffered some of the worst statistics in 2011, is now the most improved region.

VW to intro Passat BlueMotion Concept at Detroit auto show

While performance heads are anxiously awaiting the North American debut of the hot-heat Mk VII Golf R at the Detroit auto show, Volkswagen's Passat BlueMotion Concept offers never-before technology in the Yank/Canuck family sedan segment: a four-pot motor with cylinder deactivation. Based on the EA211 1.4L turbo motor we sampled last year in the Euro-market Audi A3 sedan, the Passat BlueMotion Concept's engine is capable of shutting down the middle two cylinders during cruise, and features the Jetta Hybrid's gearbox, a twin-clutch unit capable of decoupling from the engine during off-throttle coasting. In the Passat's application, the 1.4 puts out 150 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque; VW suggests its highway fuel economy will stand at 42 mpg.

One-of-a-kind De Tomaso Pantera 'ADRNLN' to debut at SEMA

The De Tomaso Pantera, a perfect mash-up of classic Italian styling and American underhood brawn, struck a chord when it debuted at the 1970 New York auto show. Inspired by the Pantera's unique character, custom vehicle builder Ringbrothers decided to restomod and rechristen it “ADRNLN.” It's set to re-debut at the 2013 SEMA show on Nov. 5.