2003 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.5l Petrol Automatic Bosch Starter Motor on 2040-parts.com

Pontiac Vibe

One week after Toyota introduced its new Matrix at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Pontiac presented the new redesigned Vibe at the LA Auto Show, a five-door hatchback short wagon that - like the Matrix - is derived from a lengthened and widened Corolla platform. Clear brand differentiation between the two cars is done through the styling of the Vibe's excusive sheet metal and different interior finishes and trim. To better relate the Vibe to the Pontiac Solstice or G8, designers wanted to express more muscle and leave behind last generation's "mini-SUV" look.

New Peugeot 208 production cut as sales disappoint

Peugeot is cutting back on production of the new 208 as its sales fail to reach expectations, just six months on from launch. It’s not enough when Europe is ion the midst of an economic crisis and car buyers are polarised between ‘budget’ cars that offer more for less than mainstream offerings and ‘Premium’ models that are bought on the back of a preconceived notion of more kudos. That leaves car makers like Peugeot (and Renault, Citroen, Vauxhall, Ford, Opel, Fiat…) between a rock and a hard place, unable – or unwilling – to compete with the offerings from Korea and saddled with a brand that doesn’t have the ‘class’ of an Audi or a BMW or a Mercedes or even a VW.

Geely to buy bankrupt London Taxis

The Chinese press are reporting that Geely are to buy London Taxi maker Manganese Bronze, which went in to liquidation in October. Back in October we reported that Manganese Bronze – makers of the iconic London Taxi – had gone in to administration, finally tipped over the edge by  steering box failures in the TX4. After years of under-investment – and a product that has been usurped by both the Mercedes Vito Taxi and the new Nissan NV200 Taxi – it looked like Manganese Bronze had no way back.