1940s Original Ford Inside Rear View Mirror. on 2040-parts.com

Euro NCAP finds quadricycles had “severe safety problems”

Euro NCAP has branched out from cars and crash tested a small selection of “heavy quadricycles”  – small, four-wheeled vehicles that were originally developed from motorcycles that are sometimes also known as microcars, and don’t come under the usual car regulations. Although legal for use on the road, these machines do not need to achieve the same rigorous crash test safety standards as ordinary cars. But they are increasingly seen as a fuel-efficient urban transportation alternative, and some of them can be driven teenagers as young as 16.

1980s supercars

By Tim Pollard and Ben Oliver 10 July 2008 16:01 Supercars in the Eighties The Italians continued to innovate in the ’80s, but they also came under pressure like never before from a series of supercar wannabes. The Germans fettled the humble 911 Turbo into the race-spec 959, which showed how computers could sport brains as well as brawn. Meanwhile Honda showed the NSX, which became the first contender from the Orient.

Opel/Vauxhall Cascada [w/gallery]

The Opel/Vauxhall Cascada effectively replaces the Astra Twin Top, but attempts to move the model upmarket as a separate product line. It has moved up a size to reflect its prestige aspirations: at 4,697 mm long and 1,840 mm wide, it's longer than an Audi A5. Like many of the latest generation of convertibles, the Cascada ditches a folding solid hardtop in favor of a lighter, more space-efficient and cheaper soft fabric set-up.