Carquest 22249 Lower Radiator Hose on 2040-parts.com

Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.

Marvel’s Captain America car by Daniel Simon [w/Video]

Automotive designer and futurist Daniel Simon has had his vehicle design from ‘Captain America: The First Avenger' featured in a short animation. This 10-wheeler 1942 supercharged V16 Coupe, the personal car of Marvel's villain Johann Schmidt (the Red Skull), is 7,620 mm long and was inspired by cars such as Mercedes' 540K and the G4. The director's instructions for the car's size  led to a truck chassis having to be used for the practical film version.

Partners make the perfect co-driver

CELEBRITY heart-throbs such as George Clooney and Cheryl Cole have come second-best in a recent survey of drivers who were asked for their perfect partner on a long road trip. Six out of 10 drivers in the UK said they would choose their regular partner, whether that person is their husband, wife, friend or workmate, 61% of drivers asked said they would prefer their usual driving buddy to George Clooney or Cheryl Cole. Surprisingly, 11% of drivers surveyed by Halfords said they would be happiest with just a satellite navigation system for company on a long road trip.