2001 Chevy S10 Blazer Engine Motor 4.3l Vin W 2631406 on 2040-parts.com

Automakers trail in the great gizmo race

A customer at Rockland Toyota in suburban New York recently asked why he couldn't recharge his cell phone through the USB port built into the otherwise sophisticated Toyota Venza crossover. Evan Kuperman, the dealership's assistant general manager, took a deep breath. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

EBay exotic: 1974 Alfa Romeo Berlina 2000

I'm a sucker for a four-door Alfa, and this bright red Berlina 2000 posted by our friends at Bring a Trailer has yours truly all aflutter this morning. Formerly owned by an Alfa Romeo employee in the United States, this car shows just a tick less than 89,000 original miles and wears fresh paint as of a few years ago. The seller, himself an Alfisti, claims that the gauges and mechanicals are all in correct working order, and the original factory air conditioning apparently operates as well as it did when new--which likely isn't very well, but still, it makes an interesting conversation piece.

Sebring swap: Chrysler will call its 2011 sedan the 200

The Chrysler Sebring will get a fresh start late this year as it relaunches with a new name, the 200, and considerable upgrades to the engines, sheetmetal and interior. The 200 gets a new grille with a prominent Chrysler badge, new fascia front and rear, projector headlamps and fog lamps and LED taillights. The new engines to be offered are Chrysler's Pentastar V6 that will make 283 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, which is slightly detuned from its uses in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Charger, and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder from Fiat's global engine bin.