1998 Harley Davidson Xl883 Sportster Taillight Backplate on 2040-parts.com

Young drivers 'can't fit a spare wheel'

AS MANY as 11 out of 20 young people in the 18-24 age bracket admit to not knowing how to change a car tyre, according to a new survey. The data, released by IntelligentCarLeasing.com, will stoke the flames of animosity among older drivers by indicating that the majority of young drivers are operating without basic practical motoring skills. Young men are more confident that they know how to install a spare, with 57.1% claimed they could do so.

Imagining the Future: The Southern California Automotive Design Studio

Southern California is home to more automotive design studios than anywhere else in the world, and to commemorate that relationship and celebrate Art Center College of Design's 60th Anniversary, the Petersen Automotive Museum is putting on a new permanent exhibition among its rolling time capsules and automotive memorabilia from Hollywood. The new design exhibition showcases the history of the local design community and its contribution to the world. Located in the ‘Streetscape' section of the Petersen Automotive Museum, the Car Design Studio is at the modern end of a realistic walk-through diorama of California's history as it relates to the automobile.

Ford Escape recall addresses door handle issue

Ford is recalling Escape SUVs from the 2013 and 2014 model years for a problem that can make the doors difficult to close or -- more ominously -- can cause the doors to open while driving. A total of 581,986 SUVs made between October 5, 2013, and April 10, 2014, are affected; Ford blames the recall on assembly misalignment between the exterior door handle and the door outer panel. The danger of this assembly issue involves the possibility of an unbelted passenger falling out of the SUV, though Ford has not indicated that any such incident has occurred.