1998 Toyota Rav4 Engine Motor 2.0l Vin P 2417160 on 2040-parts.com

Opening day auction results from Monterey

In results gathered by Hagerty Insurance, $5.8 million worth of cars, trucks and motorcycles were sold Thursday at auctions on the Monterey Peninsula. A total of 190 of 323 lots were sold, for a sell-through rate of 59 percent. The average selling price was $30,511.

Chrysler details changes to minivan, Jeep Patriot

Wider use of the Pentastar V6, fascia changes and more luxurious materials in the interior are the key changes being made to the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and the Jeep Patriot for the 2011 model year. The changes come as Chrysler works to revive interest in its products after nearly two years of virtually no new-product activity while the automaker worked through a government-sponsored bankruptcy. Earlier this year, Chrysler unveiled the redesigned 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is now on sale.

Ssangyong relaunches brand with Giugiaro-designed Korando

Korean brand Ssangyong is back from the dead. After looking odds-on favorite to become another automotive casualty of the global recession after Chinese owner SAIC put it into receivership in early 2009, the 4x4 specialist has found a new owner in 2010 – signing a memorandum of understanding with Indian company Mahindra & Mahindra in August – and has just re-launched its brand with a new car designed by Giugiaro. The fourth-generation Korando mid-sized crossover – prefaced by the C200 concept shown at the April 2009 Seoul motorshow – is due on sale in January 2011 pending the expected completion of the Mahindra deal in November this year.