Aviation Parts Aluminum/brass Coated Star Nuts Size 16 Threads (257 on 2040-parts.com

Subaru XV concept preview

The XV crossover os another new car from Subaru, this time set to debut at Shanghai auto show. As with the all-new Impreza, Subaru is being tight lipped on details of the car. However, from what little information is available, it appears that the XV is a small 'lifestyle' crossover, in the ilk of the Ford Kuga.

‘Hidden’ damage on hire cars costing drivers

MORE THAN one in three hire car users have found unreported damage on hired vehicles upon collection, according to new data. A survey conducted by YouGov found that 37% of business travellers found damage to their hired vehicle which was not marked down on the documentation when they collected the car. This could lead to the user being charged for the damage and liable to lose any insurance excess amount – which could be as much as £2,000.

Bentley uses 3D printing to prototype new designs [w/Video]

3D printing is changing the way the world makes things by helping people of all disciplines to enhance and refine their ideas cheaply, quickly and effectively.  Bentley is the latest carmaker to utilize the technology to fabricate and prototype different parts to see how they'll look and work on the finished design. Using 3D printers, designers can produce parts from the exterior and interior such as the grille, tires, headlamps and door handles as well as combine different types of contrasting materials, ranging from hard plastics to rubbers of different tensile strengths.  The technology allows the user to create a solid 3D object straight from a digital model by printing layers of material on top of each other. This process rapidly decreases the delivery time, as parts can be printed overnight, and allows designers to be more creative in their ideas because of the reduced cost. Bentley isn't the first carmaker to use 3D printing technology. Audi announced last year it was beginning to prototype vehicle parts using 3D printers.