2007 Mercedes Benz Owners Manual on 2040-parts.com

Carbon-fiber parts and a software fix help create a lighter, faster Fiat

Chrysler Group's Mopar parts brand and Italian supplier Magneti Marelli have teamed up on a design exercise based on the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth that shaved weight and added horsepower. The vehicle, called the Venom, has a number of carbon fiber components -- hood and side mirrors, for example -- that makes it about 200 pounds lighter than the 2,512-pound Abarth. The Venom uses software updates and additional exhaust components to boost the Abarth's standard 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged engine's output by as much as 25 percent.

Subaru seeks to dump 'quirky,' broaden appeal

When Subaru arrived in the United States in the 1960s, ads used the unflattering slogan "cheap and ugly." The brand has come a long way. But to critics, the concept of "Subaru styling" is still an oxymoron. Even loyalists describe it as "quirky"; the less charitable choose "bland" and "boxy." Subaru is one of the few brands that have been unscathed, even growing stronger, during the U.S.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 and DB9 Carbon (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 19 February 2014 11:20 Here we have the Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 and the Aston Martin DB9 Carbon. The special edition Astons are Gaydon’s headline act for the 2014 Geneva motor show. While the Carbon White and Carbon Black DB9s are monochrome cosmetic exercises, the race-inspired Vantages enjoy a power hike and token diet to ramp up performance.