2010-2012 Prius Toyota Amplifier Assembly Air A/c on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake on the way

Mercedes’ design boss Gordon Wagener has revealed to WhatCar that they are planning to go exactly the same route with the CLA as they did with the CLS, and create a coupe estate. The CLS Shooting Brake (pictured below) has been very well received, and with much of the world downsizing its cars a CLA Estate is a very sensible way to go, offering all the good design elements of the CLA – which already looks like a CLS on a boil wash – in a car that has more practicality. Wagener gave no idea of time scale for the CLA Shooting Brake, but with the first CLAs expected to hit customers in June it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a concept CLA Shooting Brake arrive by the time of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September before going on sale in 2014.

Toyota proposing $1.1 billion unintended acceleration settlement in US

Toyota are setting aside an additional $1.1 billion to settle claims in the US of unintended acceleration in their cars. In the ongoing saga of unintended acceleration in the US caused by floor mats, Toyota has revealed it is to set aside an additional $1.1 billion to settle claims and fit new equipment to cars affected by the floor mat problem. Toyota are going to install a brake override system in 3.25 million vehicles, set aside $250 million to compensate owners who have already sold their cars, another $250 million for affected owners whose cars can’t get the brake override system, throw in a care plan  for parts related to unintended acceleration and throw $30 million at research in to car safety.

Kia Rio (2011) first official pictures

Kia is going to be busy at the 2011 Geneva motor show: it will show off the new Rio, as well as the Picanto. These are the first official pictures of the Rio, a smart, very European-looking rival to the Fiesta/Corsa/Polo ancien regime. The new 2011 Kia Rio is bigger in every dimension, apart from height.