92 Yamaha Timberwolf 250cc 2wd Exhaust Pipe on 2040-parts.com

'Defective tyre' prosecutions top 10,000

MORE THAN 170 motorists were convicted every week in 2012 for driving on defective or even dangerous tyres. The figures, obtained by tyre safety charity TyreSafe as part of its efforts to improve awareness during Tyre Safety Month, show that 10,228 drivers were taken to court over their tyres. As rain becomes a more regular fixture for most motorists up and down the country, following an unusually dry summer, tyre tread depth and pressure become even more important.

Bruce Weiner Micro Car auction: Day 1 wrap

Yesterday's strong bidding left many attendees in disbelief. As the gavel fell on a 1959 Goggomobil TL-400 Transporter Pickup for the top pre-auction estimate of $125,000, anyone who had dismissed RM's estimates as optimistic was reappraising the situation. Several people have brought up the legendary $112,000 sale of an Amphicar at Barrett-Jackson's Scottsdale sale in 2006.

Future products: Kia seeks lively, upscale look

Kia's redesigned Optima sedan and the Cadenza replacement for the Amanti, both due next year, reflect an emphasis on creating a livelier and more upscale look for the once-bland brand. Indeed, styling has been a crucial element of Kia's new-product push in the past 18 months. The team at Kia Design Center America near Los Angeles--part of the automaker's global design network led by onetime Audi design chief Peter Schreyer--has helped set the new styling direction.