Beck/arnley 173-7988 Distributor Rotor on 2040-parts.com

Ford touts electric range, speed of plug-in C-Max Energi hybrid

Ford's C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid wagon will be able to hit 85 mph on battery power alone, the automaker said Tuesday. The C-Max Energi can also travel 20 miles on electric power. The driver can put the powertrain into one of three modes, via a button on the center stack: -- EV Now, which runs the vehicle on the lithium-ion battery pack until it is depleted.

BMW X3 gets a turbo four-cylinder

BMW is expanding the use of its N20 turbocharged four-cylinder engine by making it the base powerplant for the 2013 X3 SUV. The X3 xDrive28 will use the twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Twin-scroll turbocharging means that the exhaust stream of cylinders one and four follow a separate path to the turbine wheel from cylinders two and three.

Don’t text and drive says Volkswagen – very effectively (video)

Cinema goers in for a shock in VW’s don’t text and drive campaign We’re not the biggest fans of putting drivers in a bubble of concentration behind the wheel, which is what law makers seem to be trying to do. Don’t take a sip from that water bottle, don’t change the channel on the radio, don’t have a conversation with your passengers, don’t smoke, don’t take hands-free phone calls – in fact, don’t do anything but drive. But it’s a foolish trend as it’s the little things going on that keep drivers alert; focusing just on the driving is a sure fire way make drivers’ brains go in to a fug and lose concentration.