B&m Shifter Pro Street, Gasser, Drag Car on 2040-parts.com

'Speed a factor' in deadly crash

INVESTIGATORS trying to find the cause of the crash that killed Fast And The Furious star Paul Walker say speed was a factor. Meanwhile the actor's fans erected a makeshift memorial yesterday near where the Porsche he was riding in smashed into a street light and tree. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said speed was a factor in Saturday's one-car crash, though it will take time to discover how fast the vehicle was going.

Alfa Romeo US relaunch delayed

Alfa Romeo Giulietta - American launch delayed until 2013 It’s getting on for two years since we reported that Alfa Romeo were going to relaunch themselves in the US after an absence of twenty years, to give Americans an Italian alternative to the likes of Audi, BMW and  Mercedes. A quality European alternative with Italian flair was the logic. But within a month of the announcement that the US was to be beguiled by Alfas once more came the news that the MiTo wouldn’t be going on the American sojourn.

Nissan’s new lightweight philosophy revealed

The leaked official drawings of the new Nissan Micra might have revealed the conventional styling of the company’s new supermini, but they gave little clue to the dramatically lightweight new platform that underpins it. The new Micra will be significantly lighter and more fuel efficient than the outgoing car due to a ruthless pursuit of weight reduction on the new V-platform (V = versatile), which on average has slashed 50kg from the new car's weight, and up to 70kg on some models. Project leader Noritaka Tsuru described the new package as a 'breakthrough car' that required a complete 'change in mentality' in how Nissan makes cars.