2009-2013 Subaru Forester Cross Bars on 2040-parts.com

New Nissan X-Trail starts at £22,995. But it’s FWD

The new Nissan X-Trail (pictured) falls in price The styling of the new Nissan X-Trail, which arrived last year at Frankfurt, has eschewed a lot of the boxiness of the old X-Trail and taken on many of the styling cues from the new Nissan Qashqai. And in the process it’s perhaps become ‘softer’. The old X-Trail was more rugged than most modern compact SUVs, but the new X-Trail has arrived with a choice of Front Wheel Drive versions – no doubt aimed at keeping the price down – as well as cuddlier looks.

White is the most popular car color

White is the most popular vehicle color in the world, followed by black and silver, according to car-paint supplier PPG Industries. In North America, white was first, making up 20 percent of the 2011-model-year cars. Silver was second at 19 percent, then black at 18 percent, gray at 15 percent, red and blue tied at 9 percent, naturals such as brown, tan and gold at 7 percent, green at 2 percent and other colors at 1 percent.

Ford eyes dandelions as sustainable alternative to synthetic rubber

Ford, in conjunction with Ohio State University, is turning to the humble garden weed as sustainable resource, researching the dandelion's potential use as an alternative to synthetic rubber. While the automaker already makes considerable use of sustainable materials in its vehicles – such as soy foam seat cushions and straw-filled plastic for interior trim – this latest discovery opens up a wealth of new possibilities for automotive applications. According to research conducted by Ford, a milky-white substance that is found in certain dandelion roots can produce a sustainable rubber that could be used to create plastic parts for vehicle interiors.