1991 Mercury Capri Passenger Side Taillight. on 2040-parts.com

Audi to buy Ducati – the four rings expands from four wheels

Audi has struck an exclusive deal giving it first rights to buy Italian superbike manufacturer Ducati, CAR can reveal.The exclusivity deal gives Audi until mid April when the deal will likely be finalised, according to high-ranking sources contacted by CAR. Ducati's liabilities are around €200 million [earlier report said €800 million, this has been corrected], and our sources suggest the total purchase price is about €250m-€300m. This is a bold move by Audi, which sees the long-term advantage in moving into two wheels as well as four.

It looks like Aston Martin could be getting AMG/Mercedes platforms too

Mercedes/AMG platforms would make the Lagonda SUV a reality We’d been expecting Aston Martin to get access to Mercedes platforms ever since the Lagonda SUV – based on the underpinnings of the Mercedes GL - arrived in all its ‘beauty’ in 2009. The Lagonda SUV was met with wails of anguish from lovers of Aston Martin’s timeless beauty but, despite the horror at the looks of the SUV, the prospect that Aston Martin could be heading down a collaboration route with Mercedes was welcome. It was welcome because without the support of a major car maker – and access to its technology – Aston Martin would have little chance of a bright future; there is no way a minnow like Aston Martin could afford the development cost of new engines and platforms.

Chrysler adds sporty S trim features to the 200 sedan and convertible

Chrysler is looking to add a little sport to the Chrysler 200 sedan and convertible with the addition of the S trim line. Don't expect anything too extreme--the S package consists of some interior and exterior upgrades, and a few suspension revisions. Changes include unique 18-inch wheels with painted black pockets, a grille with an S model-only winged badge and black background headlights.