Autometer 4369 Ultra-lite Electric Water Temperature Gauge on 2040-parts.com

Mini Works unveiled

By Ben Barry Motor Shows 08 March 2007 01:29 Three new Minis shown at Geneva BMW unveiled several world-firsts at Geneva 2007: a Works kit for the new Mini, the entry-level One, and the new Mini Cooper D. The new Works option is an aftermarket job for the new Mini; it increases power of the Cooper S to 192bhp and adds numerous styling tweaks. A more powerful Works version, which will be built on the production line and boast more than 210bhp, will be added later, officials promised.

Aston Martin make Nissan’s Andy Palmer their new CEO

Andy Palmer (pictured) is taking the reins at Aston Martin Lagonda Aston Martin has effectively been without a boss since Ulrich Bez stepped down from the role last year, but that changes with the announcement that Andrew Palmer – until now, Chief Planning Officer of Nissan – is to step in to the role. There’s no specific start date for Andy Palmer at Aston, but Nissan has announced that Philippe Klein will take up Palmer’s role at Nissan on 15 September, so it shouldn’t be long before Palmer holds the reins at Aston Martin. But what exactly has persuaded Andy Palmer to jump from a big corporate behemoth like Nissan to a struggling luxury car maker with owners who either want to tug the operating strings (the Kuwaitis) or are looking for a quick return (Investindustrial)?

Active safety features: What your next car needs to have

Car safety used to mean double buckling your seatbelt when you squeezed three people into the front row. Now, with electronic stability control (ESC), cross-traffic alerts and adaptive headlights, it's a bit more difficult to sort through all of the available options. Of course you want to choose the safest car you can for yourself and your family.