07 08 09 10 11 12 13 Toyota Tundra R. Headlight 566159 on 2040-parts.com

Dacia prepares for its UK market D-Day

Renault may have halved its UK product range and taken a profit tumble in 2011, but its budget car subsidiary Dacia has been growing strongly with its range of no-nonsense value-for-money cars. The Dacia Duster SUV has been winning plaudits for its cheap-and-cheerful blend of practicality and value,and leads the UK market launch next month. Dacia: Renault's developing market brand heads West Dacia was founded by the Romanian government in 1966, and began with license-production of the Renault 8 (Dacia 1100) and Renault 12 (Dacia 1300).

The world's best-selling passenger car is…

UPDATE-Ford announced Tuesday the Focus nameplate sold more than 1,020,000 units in 2012 making it the best-selling passenger car in the world. Data supporting the claim came from Polk's annual vehicle-registration review, which, since it accounts for data from around the globe, comes out three to four months later than other 2012 recap results. In China, registrations for Focus vehicles were up 51 percent, accounting for nearly one in four global Focus sales, according to Polk.

Volkswagen shows off new 1.8-liter engine for Jetta, Passat, and Beetle

Volkswagen is rolling out a new 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injected TSI engine which will debut in the Jetta, Beetle, and Passat later this year. This thrifty new engine will replace the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine now available in those models. But the 1.8-liter is no slouch: it produces the same 170 hp as the outgoing five-cylinder engine, while adding 7 lb-ft torque for a total of 184.