2002 Zrt 600 Hood Assy 1718-116 on 2040-parts.com

Winter warriors: An AW list of vehicles in which to tackle the snow

Now that cold weather has arrived in many parts of the country, the Corvette Stingrays and Plymouth Barracudas are being tucked back into their garages. With that in mind, AutoWeek offers this list of sure-footed rides for the winter. Some have higher sticker prices--we're looking at you, Range Rover--but most are fun, economical rides that will get you through the deepest doldrums of winter.

Top Gear in Italy with Aventador, McLaren MP4-12C & Noble M600 + video

Top Gear in Lecce filming a supercar piece We already know that Top Gear’s Christmas Special is in India this year, so the video showing the Top Gear team filming in Lecce, Italy, with the Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren MP4-12C and Noble M600 must be for the new series of Top Gear, which kicks off on January 12th 2012. Lecce is an historic Italian city in the south east of Italy, full of Baroque architecture, tracing its history back to the Greeks and is probably most famous for its ‘Lecce Stone’, a soft and malleable limestone ideal for sculpting. None of which really matters to Messrs Clarkson, Hammond and May, although it does provide a stunning backdrop for an equally stunning set of supercars.

Nissan launches UK Clay Modeling Apprentice Program

Nissan has launched a Clay Modeling Apprentice Program in the UK, designed to recruit skilled clay modelers to boost the UK's position in global vehicle design. Business Secretary Vince Cable and Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer were present at the launch – held at Nissan's London-based European Design Center – of a scheme that aims to address the national shortage of clay modelers. Palmer explains, "Clay modeling is an integral part of the design process and vital in helping the design team visualize ideas.