2007-2012 Toyota Tundra New Factory Trailer Hitch Kit on 2040-parts.com

Toyota drags down new-vehicle quality average; Ford leads Detroit 3 gains

Dragged down by Toyota Motor Corp., the quality of new cars and trucks sold in the United States slipped slightly this year--the first time since 2007, according to a study released Thursday. But Detroit's automakers--helped by Ford Motor Co. and some of the smoothest new-model launches ever--have matched or surpassed Asian and European rivals in initial vehicle quality for the first time, based on the closely watched J.D.

Renault Twizy Cargo turns the Twizy EV in to a van

The Renault Twizy Cargo (pictured) turns the Twizy EV in to a small van. If only the Renault Twizy EV was a sensible price, it would make a perfect commuter car. With dimensions that give it a footprint not much more than a motor cycle, the Twizy offers much for commuters in congested urban areas.

Volkswagen give the VW XL1 Ducati power

Volkswagen give the VW XL1 Ducati power It’s more than two years since Volkswagen rolled out the VW XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle as a demonstration of how light weight and low power can make for extremely economical motoring. But the silly mpg VW quoted for the XL1 – 313mpg – comes at a fairly horrible price, with the news at Geneva this year that the XL1 is heading for limited production, but with a price tag likely to be around £100k. Bit it seems that VW has found a new use for the XL1, and this time it’s not about extreme economy but more about real performance.