1985 Honda Shadow Vt500c Owner's Manual on 2040-parts.com

Audi shifts to eight-speeds for most models

A formal press conference probably won't happen until this summer, but we hear that Audi dealers have received their 2011 order guides, and it looks as though the company will be going from 0 to about 70 percent of U.S. sales being eight-speed automatic transmissions. Beginning this fall, the eight-speed will replace today's six-speed automatic in the A4 2.0-liter turbo sedan and wagon, the A5 2.0-liter turbo coupe and cabriolet, the Q5 2.0-liter turbo, the Q7 3.0-liter turbo, the Q7 diesel, the Q7 with the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 and the all-new A8 and A8L with the 4.2-liter V8.

Yearly driving costs rise 3.4 percent

This won't be a surprise to anyone--it's costing more to own and drive a car. Higher prices for fuel and tires, and a larger drop in the resale value of cars, pushed the average cost of owning a sedan to $8,776 a year, according to AAA of Heathrow, Fla. That's up 3.4 percent from a year ago.

Renault 4 Ever contest shortlist announced

Renault and Design Boom have announced the ten designs that have been shortlisted in their ‘Renault 4 Ever’ design competition. Over 3,200 projects were submitted by design enthusiasts from 92 different countries after Renault, in collaboration with Design Boom, released a brief calling for designs that re-created the ‘look and style' of the iconic Renault 4, capture the functionality and minimalistic philosophy of the original while respecting its identity and iconic status. The jury also wanted to see innovative design and technology for sustainable mobility.