2001 Ford Explorer Automatic Trans Flywheel 2101145 on 2040-parts.com

Call for reform over road repair funding

FUNDING patterns mean most road maintenance is being carried out in "less-efficient, cold and wet" times, a report from a Government spending watchdog has said. The current pattern of funding, combined with the need to spend money within the financial year, means that most maintenance work goes on between September and March, said the report from the National Audit Office (NAO). It went on: "Although this is less disruptive for road users, it is less efficient than carrying out the work at other times of year because materials can be more difficult to handle in cold and wet conditions, and daylight hours are shorter." The report went on: "As a result of the additional funding for emergency repairs, which is made available at the end of the financial year, almost all highways authorities need extra capacity from the market at the same time, which makes it less likely that they will get value for money." The NAO report said there was a "lack of predictability" over road spending adding that historically, local highway authorities spent more revenue on maintenance, but were now carrying out fewer routine activities such as clearing gullies which are essential to preventing water seeping into roads' sub-structure.

Chrysler reveals names of next Alfa Romeo cars

Alfa Romeo's next two cars will be called the Milano and Giulia. Surprisingly, the news did not come from Alfa or its parent Fiat Group. Instead, Chrysler, Fiat's new alliance partner, revealed the names in its submission to the U.S.

Running flat out: BMW is a leader in pushing run-flat tires

BMW is getting ready to launch its next-generation compact SUV, the X3, and it will ride--as most BMWs and Minis sold today--on run-flat tires. Of all the companies producing cars today, BWM has embraced run-flat technology like no other. Chevrolet with the Corvette, and some Lexus models, among others, use run-flats in certain applications.