1998 Toyota 4runner Ashtray on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes-Benz A-class patent renderings leaked

Mercedes-Benz unveiled a three-door concept version of its 2012 A-class at the New York and Shanghai auto shows in April, and images of a possible production model leaked this week via the European Patent Office. The renderings show a five-door hatchback version of the A-class concept with less aggressive styling. Its world premiere is said to be scheduled for the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Parade celebrates astronauts and Corvettes

After Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into outer space in 1961, General Motors executive Ed Cole presented the astronaut with a new 1962 Chevrolet Corvette, customized with a space-age interior. Shepard had brought along his own 1957 Corvette when he reported for the space-training program in 1959. Thanks to a special lease arrangement between the space men and a Melbourne, Fla., Chevy dealership, six of the Mercury Seven astronauts were Corvette owners.

Ford Mondeo goes green

By Ben Barry First Official Pictures 03 June 2007 01:57 New Mondeo spearheads Ford's ramp-up of bio-fuel models Ford announced an expansion in its flexifuel range. Flexifuel allows a vehicle to run on either regular petrol or E85 – an 85/15 percent bio-ethanol/petrol blend – and automatically offsets any carbon emissions produced because more crops are always produced to meet the demand for fuel. Ford president and CEO John Fleming confirmed that the existing Focus and C-Max flexifuel cars would be joined by Mondeo, Galaxy and S-Max derivatives, which will all come on stream from early 2008.