Cardone 14-1308 Brake Caliper Bracket-caliper Bracket on 2040-parts.com

Gift Guide: Automotive apparel for all seasons

From the earliest days of motoring, the relationship between automobiles and apparel has been symbiotic. Clothing worn by Brass Era car and motorcycle buffs was adopted mostly to protect drivers from the elements, rather than from the hazards of speed. Floor-length dusters, motoring coats and driving caps shielded motorists from cold wind and choking dust.

Off the line: Fun cars and social responsibility Autoweek op-ed stands the test of time

It's been almost 21 years to the day that Autoweek printed Matt DeLorenzo's column “Off the Line: There's room for fast, fun cars in diet of social responsibility.” And in those two decades plus, not much has changed except the vehicles themselves. For example, sports cars like the Bugatti Veyron and Pagani Huayra have astronomically high performance and safety levels; similarly, sport-utility vehicles that haul entire families (and most of their earthly possessions) achieve fuel economy similar to that of 1970s midsize sedans. To read all of DeLorenzo's thoughts and his case for automobiles, click the links to download the article.

Mercedes AMG C 63 price & specs – costs from £59,795

Mercedes AMG C 63 price & specs – costs from £59,795 The pinnacle of the new Mercedes C-Class range – the Mercedes-AMG C 63 – had a reveal last month ahead of its public debut in Paris (and got a new name, with ‘AMG’ hyphenated with Mercedes and in front of the ‘C 63′ bit instead of after) and it’s now gone on sale priced from £59,795 for the C 63 Saloon to £67,745 for the C 63 S Estate. Power comes from a new 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 developing 469bhp in the C 63 and a more potent 503bhp in the C 63 S, with 0-62mph times of 4.1 seconds for the C 63 (0.1 slower in the estate) and a modest 0.1 quicker in the C 63 S. Not surprisingly, the C63 gets a more than adequate spec including Nappa Leather AMG sports seats, COMAND, mechanical locking rear diff, dynamic engine mounts, unique tracks front and back, upgraded AMG brakes, quad tailpipes, new front wings to cover the wider track, rear spoiler and 18″ alloys.