Beck/arnley 178-8243 Ignition Coil on 2040-parts.com

New car sales surge by 7.6%

THE SURGE in new car sales has continued into the new year. There were 154,562 new vehicles registered last month, a 7.6% rise on January last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The society said sales of alternatively fuelled vehicle increased by 25%.

Porsche Macan ‘FAILS’ Moose Test – but there’s a reason (+video)

The Porsche Macan locks its front brake in the Moose Test The Moose (or Elk) test is a maneuverability and stability test commonly carried out in cold countries to test the behaviour of cars when subject to extreme avoidance tests – such as when trying to miss a Moose that’s wandered in to the road. The Moose Test is probably best remembered as the potential downfall of the original Mercedes A Class, when Teknikens Värld  Magazine conducted a test on the then very new – and groundbreaking – high-riding A-Class, when it rolled over and cost Mercedes a small fortune in re-engineering to restore safety credibility to the A-Class. Now it’s Porsche’s turn to come under the spotlight after Teknikens Värld ran a test on a Macan S Diesel that exhibited some strange behaviour during the test.

Concept Car of the Week: Dodge Copperhead (1997)

"If the Dodge Viper is credited for reinventing the Shelby Cobra, then the Dodge Copperhead should be credited for reinventing a car in the tradition of the Austin Healey 3000" said John E. Herlitz, Chrysler Corporation's product design VP. It's hard to find the simple elegance or the charm of the British roadster in this aggressive full-fat American concept with extra cheese; nonetheless, this snake has a dramatic personality of its own.