1968-70 Chevy Ll Nova Nos Tailpipe Hanger on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes launch new 9G-Tronic gearbox on E350 BlueTec

New Mercedes E350 BlueTec (pictured) gets 9-speed 9G-TRONIC auto It’s not exactly a million years ago that automatic gearboxes offered poorer performance and economy than manual gearboxes, and came as standard with just three gears. But now, automatic gearboxes are so good they can  change quicker than any driver and, with the proliferation of eight-speed auto ‘boxes, offer improved economy and performance too. The next logical step is even more ratios in an auto ‘box, and Land Rover has already revealed they’ll be fitting the Evoque with a 9-speed ZF ‘box from 2014, and the new Jeep Grand Cherokee gets a nine-speed auto ‘box too.

Cycle-rail journeys 'almost triple'

MASSIVE increases to public transport network spending have led to the near-tripling of the number of ‘cycle-rail’ journeys taken since 2009, according to government statistics. An update on the coalition’s ‘door to door action plan’, published close to the New Year, details how huge increases in funding for secure cycle parking facilities and public transport integration have led to increased usage. The government is using the data to encourage more people to take up ‘greener’ ways of getting to work.

Fancy driving Hyundai’s Hydrogen ix35 Fuel Cell?

As part of the European Hydrogen Road Tour, Hyundai are offering members of the public the chance to drive the ix35 FCEV. As we revealed back in August, the Hyundai ix35 FCEV – Hyundai’s hydrogen-powered electric ix35 – is going in to production before the end of 2012, the first proper production fuel cell vehicle…in the world. The initial production run is small – just 1,000 cars – but Hyundai are planning to put the ix35 FCEV in to full production by 2015, by which time they’re hoping there will be a viable hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in place.