Acdelco 12t6d 180f/82c Thermostat on 2040-parts.com

MG Design Centre opens in UK

The opening of MG's new design center this week at the historic production site of Longbridge, Birmingham, England was both an incredible and credible occasion. Incredible, because the brand looked dead in the water after the debacle of MG Rover's collapse in 2005 and even after various Chinese takeovers, its UK operation seemed destined to play no more than a tokenistic bit part. And thankfully credible too, because now all of MG's global design will genuinely be led from this new facility in the epicentre of England's traditional motoring heartland.

Ford F-150 beefed up for municipal use

The Ford F-150 joins the likes of the Taurus and the Explorer in offering a package aimed specifically at those who protect and serve. While the Police Interceptor versions of the Explorer and the Taurus are being marketed strictly to law-enforcement agencies, the F-150 Special Service Vehicle is available to all government, municipal and commercial fleet customers. The SSV Package will be available as a no-cost option on both extended-cab and crew-cab F-150s sold to fleets.

June 29: No problems here

I am now in my office, which is 22 miles from my home. It used up about 1/3 of its charge to get here, with the air conditioning running. It has been plugged in to a 120-volt outlet in the building's parking structure for seven hours.