Allison Transmission / Mechanic's Tips 700 Series Hydraulic Controls 2004 on 2040-parts.com

Fourth Chinese Auto Design Competition launched

The fourth Chinese Auto Design Contest officially launched in Beijing last week. Sponsored by China's Society of Automotive Engineers, the China Industrial Design Association, the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Beijing Fengtai District People's Government, the competition is the largest and most authoritative state-level professional event. Held biennially, this year's Chinese Auto Design competition is divided into two categories: Design Innovation (which judges current vehicles created by automakers) and Creative Design.

Aston Martin Coupé Zagato Centennial and Spyder Zagato Centennial

American car collector Peter Read has commissioned a pair of Zagato-bodied Aston Martins that coincide with the British marque's centenary. The DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial and DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial are the hard- and soft-top siblings are the latest in a long line of collaborations between the two companies. But while many have been – an admittedly more exuberant – expression of contemporary Aston design language, the Centennials have a stronger individual identity with an almost sedan-like aesthetic with forward-leaning noses and long Kamm tails.

Analysis: why GM is pulling Chevrolet out of Europe

The news that Chevrolet is to leave the western European car market (while staying in eastern Europe and Russia) is not a huge surprise, but it provides an interesting contrast to the success of fellow Koreans, Hyundai and Kia. “Fellow Koreans?” you might say, “but isn’t Chevrolet American?” Yes and no. The Chevrolets we were getting were all made in Korea in the factories that used to be owned by Daewoo, except for the handful of Camaros and Corvettes, which were authentically American.