1966-1967 Corvette Tube Vent Crankcase 327 300 H.p. on 2040-parts.com

Fisker battles problems as the Karma finally lurches toward launch

All Henrik Fisker wants is to build his plug-in hybrid cars and deliver them to customers--some of whom have been waiting three years since plunking down $5,000 deposits. Instead, he has been fending off criticisms aimed at his green-car company as shipments of his $103,000 Karma plug-in hybrid sedan have been delayed by cash flow troubles, regulatory snarls and a recall. But when a startup such as Fisker Automotive accepts a Department of Energy loan in a down economy, having the company tossed around like a political football comes with the territory.

'Defective tyre' prosecutions top 10,000

MORE THAN 170 motorists were convicted every week in 2012 for driving on defective or even dangerous tyres. The figures, obtained by tyre safety charity TyreSafe as part of its efforts to improve awareness during Tyre Safety Month, show that 10,228 drivers were taken to court over their tyres. As rain becomes a more regular fixture for most motorists up and down the country, following an unusually dry summer, tyre tread depth and pressure become even more important.

Kia Forte

Kia has released renderings of its 2014 Forte model, known as the K3 in Korea and the Cerato in the European market, ahead of its debut at this year's Los Angeles auto show in November. The renderings show the Kia family tiger nose grille, while a rising line sweeps from the front to the rear, giving the car a much more aggressive stance than its predecessor. A steeply-raked windscreen and blacked-out side window frames, emphasized by a chrome strip around the side graphics, creating a more dynamic profile.