Atp Z-166 Automatic Transmission Flexplate on 2040-parts.com

Aston Martin Cygnet planned for 2011 production

Aston Martin said on Monday that the Cygnet--a reworked version of the Toyota iQ city car--will go into production in 2011. The Cygnet, which was shown as a concept car at the Geneva motor show in March, is just less than 10 feet long. "Our customers need a small car for urban and city use and they want the right tools for the right job, to downsize creatively without compromising intelligence, artistry and personality," said Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez.

The other side of the curtain: A look back at Lada, Volga and more

While Americans in the 1960s and '70s were enjoying the heyday of muscle-car madness, our friends over in the Soviet Union were treated to an entirely different kind of automobile. Fiat-based Ladas and Russian-born Volgas were the cars of the day, and our friends at Retronaut have gathered some press materials and advertisements for the compact sedans. Lada was named after a famous Czech manufacturer of sewing machines in the 1960s.

Ford aims at VW with new 2013 Focus ST video

We don’t do much complaining here at Autoweek—unless you’re clogging up the left lane—and overall we know we’re very lucky to be in our position. But we’re not quite as lucky as Ford factory drivers Ken Block and Vaughn Gittin Jr., who get an entire abandoned neighborhood to play around in with the new Focus ST. Block grabs the Focus and Gittin Jr.