Chevy Colorado 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 F/r Door Handle Lh on 2040-parts.com

2010 LA Design Challenge entrants revealed

Entries for the 2010 Los Angeles Design Challenge have now been revealed. The futuristic proposals, which called for designers to envision a 1000lbs (454kg) 2+2 vehicle that delivers comfort, safety and satisfactory driving performance without sacrificing the emotional connection today's consumers demand from their vehicles, come from the west coast design studios of seven automakers – General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo. For the first time since the Challenge's inception, studios outside California have also been allowed to enter the competition.

All used up: Pre-owned sales rise as consumers seek new-car alternatives

Used-car sales took a leap upward in April, and the trend is expected to continue at least until midyear as pent-up demand for affordable pre-owned vehicles jacks up at least one segment of the car marketplace. Sales of new cars continued an unabated slide toward what analysts say is a 30-year low in the United States, but used-car sales showed strength as buyers unable to finance new cars shifted their sights to less expensive used models. As a result, retailers such as the large Penske Automotive Group reported that despite an overall decline in sales in the first three months of 2009, improving used-car sales kept them in the black.

Skoda Fabia vRS & Skoda Fabia vRS Estate (2010) revealed

The Skoda Fabia vRS on the floor at Geneva Well, none of us are perfect and we’ll be the first to admit we’re far from it. But it’s a bit poor that in amongst all the Geneva news we managed to miss out a report on Skoda’s hot baby – the Skoda Fabia vRS - getting revealed. Slapped wrists all round.