14 X 6" Vintage - Nos - Sendel Old School Gold Spokes Wheel Rims, on 2040-parts.com

IIHS names safest cars for 2013

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the safest cars for 2013, including 13 midsize sedans that qualify for a new “top safety pick+” designation. The designation is given to vehicles that earn “good” ratings for occupant protection in at least four of five tests, with no less than “acceptable” in the fifth test. A new test -- the small overlap test -- was added to assess how the vehicles perform during a front-corner collision with another vehicle or object, such as a utility pole.

Hyundai heading for more dual clutch gearboxes instead of CVT

Hyundai are planning to offer more dual clutch gearboxes in their cars rather than going the CVT route. There’s an argument that somehow CVT gearboxes offer better fuel economy than an automated dual clutch ‘box, even though logic says otherwise. Toyota insist on using a CVT ‘box on their hybrid cars when they’d feel much better to drive with an auto or dual clutch ‘box.

Used car market pressure eases

AN INCREASE in the number of used cars coming into the market has “taken the edge off prices” and calmed some corners of the industry, according to used car pricing experts CAP. A greater influx of part-exchange cars arriving at dealers is partly responsible, and with many franchised dealers focusing for the time being on selling those vehicles, competition to acquire stock on the open market has decreased. CAP reports that the pressure has been lifted on some dealers who had become frustrated at how expensive it was becoming to source cars at fair prices.