1999 Chevrolet Venture Owner's Manual. / Free S/h on 2040-parts.com

Acura NSX laps Mid-Ohio

It didn't have the production engine, nor the production exhaust (it was gloriously loud) and because there were safety vehicles on the track it wasn't able to go flat-out, but by golly there it was, a bright blue 2015 Acura NSX lapping Mid-Ohio just before the start of the Honda Indy 200. Being a production mule with any number of systems still under development, it couldn't be turned over to just any driver. So it was piloted by Jason Widmer, assistant large project leader for testing for the new NSX.

Vauxhall Astra tweaked & Astra GTC BiTurbo diesel

The Vauxhall Astra Hatch and Sports Tourer (Estate) have been given a bit of a facelift and the Astra GTC BiTurbo diesel has arrived. It’s probably a bit of a stretch to call what Vauxhall has done to the Astra Hatch and Astra Sport Tourer a facelift, but it’s enough of a tweak for those who’ve just bought a new Astra to be less than thrilled. The main changes to the hatch and estate are a new grill, new indicators and new fog lights; a minor rhinoplasty.

Mercedes-Benz courts Renault for new Smart model based on Twingo

Mercedes-Benz is set to join forces with Renault in a deal aimed at providing its underdeveloped Smart division with a contemporary-engineered front-engine/front-wheel-drive platform as the basis for a frugal new Forfour model. The new Smart, due out in 2013, is planned to sit on a lightly modified version of the Renault Twingo’s underpinnings, complete with a 93.3-inch wheelbase. Speaking about the new car over the weekend, a highly placed Mercedes-Benz official told AutoWeek: “It’s a key component in plans to grow the Smart brand.