1.6l Mini Cooper Engine 09 on 2040-parts.com

2012 Chevrolet Corvette upgrades focus on track performance

To keep up on the track with the Vipers and Super Snakes of the world, Chevrolet has upgraded the Corvette for 2012. There's no change to the engines or their output for 2012, but you will shave a few seconds off your lap times with the newly optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure tire. Only offered on the Z06 and ZR1 models, the package includes the tires, 285/30-19 in front and 335/25-20 rear, and lightweight aluminum Cup-style wheels in satin black or machined finishes.

Porsche says 1952 356 Cabriolet is oldest one sold in the U.S.

A 1952 Porsche 356 cabriolet owned by Robert Wilson of Oklahoma City, Okla., has been named the winner of a contest to find the oldest Porsche sold in America. Porsche Cars North America ran the contest, which asked owners to submit documentation showing when their cars were first sold, as part of its celebration of 60 years of selling cars in the United States. Wilson's car, which he found in a salvage yard, was imported in November 1952 by Max Hoffman, who started bringing Porsches to the United States in 1950.

Americans plan to keep their cars longer, AutoPacific study finds

In another chilling sign that auto sales are likely to remain stalled, a new study finds that Americans intend to keep their cars longer, indicating a general concern about the industry and the overall economy. The number of new-car buyers planning to keep their rides more than four years has risen to 59 percent, according to a study released Tuesday by California marketing research firm AutoPacific. That's an increase from last year, when about 45 percent of new buyers intended to wait more than four years for their next purchase, and it's up from 2005's tally of 46 percent.