1355a262 Mitsubishi Oem Cooling Motor on 2040-parts.com

Volt, Leaf win top safety rating in crash test

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars won the highest safety ratings in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, putting them in the top 57 percent of models tested so far this year. About 80 of 140 vehicles tested among 2011-2012 models have received the Institute's "top safety pick," the group's award for state-of-the-art crash protection that exceeds federal safety rules, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. The Volt and Leaf received a "good" rating -- the highest of four rankings -- on each of four crash tests, said the Institute, which is funded by auto insurers including State Farm, All-State and Geico.

2014 Ram 1500 diesel in the works

Chrysler has announced that a diesel-powered Ram 1500 pickup is in the works. It's expected to hit dealer lots -- and presumably, America's family farms -- in the third quarter of 2013. Set to be released as a 2014 model year vehicle, the oil-burning 1500 will get a 3.0-liter V6 wearing Chrysler's new EcoDiesel branding.

Kia KV7 concept car (2011) at the Detroit auto show

Kia whisked the covers off the KV7 concept car at the 2011 Detroit auto show this afternoon. These are the first official pictures of the KV7, a spectacular gullwing people carrier that's as bamboozling to look at as an adventurous Korean lunch to a westerner. The Kia KV7 is an SUV-MPV crossover, designed at Kia's Californian styling studio.