1988-1999 Chevy/gmc Wiper Motor on 2040-parts.com

Volvo Plug-In Hybrid by 2012

Volvo are working on a plug in Hybrid for 2012 offerng 50g/km Co2 emissions Laudable though this intent is, it’s a little like the Vauxhall / Opel Ampera – it relies on technology that doesn’t yet exist to deliver what it promises. But to get things moving, Volvo are going to be running a number of Volvo V70 diesel-electric Hybrids round Europe this year, to guage customer feedback and try to establish exactly what the consumer wants. They also want to establish exactly what the consumer can live with in terms of ‘Re-fuelling’.

Skoda GreenLine – Now even more economical

The Skoda Fabia GreenLine Skoda has announced that they’re sticking a new generation of GreenLine engines in across their range and adding GreenLine versions of the Yeti and Superb Estate, so you can be frugal whatever Skoda model you opt for. Every single GreenLine model gets a tweak to squeeze more from every gallon. The newly ‘greened’ Yeti gets the all new 103bhp 1.6 litre diesel with stop/start and brake energy recuperation, as does the Octavia GreenLine and the Superb GreenLine.

Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are top global car brands

Toyota & Mercedes-Benz are the Top Global Automotive Brands 2011 Interbrand, a branding consultancy, delivers a report on the world’s brands every year, and in 2011, despite recall woes and the devastation of the Japanese Tsunami, Toyota leads the automotive brands, with luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz just behind. Interbrand uses three measures to gauge how effective a brand is – performance of branded product, the brands ability to secure earnings and the role of the brand in purchasing decisions – to come up with a chart of the top 100 world brands. At the top of the tree are companies like Coca Cola, IBM, Microsoft and Google, but car brands do well with Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Honda, VW, and Ford all making it in to the top 50.