Dacco F74 Torque Converter on 2040-parts.com

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.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray costs £61,495

The new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will cost £61.5k in the UK The 2014 MY Corvette Stingray arrived at the Detroit Motor Show in January, and now it’s arriving in the UK. The new Stingray comes with a 6.2 litre LT1 V8 offering a modest (for its size) 455bhp and 460ln/ft of torque, enough to get the Stingray to 60mph in under 4 seconds and, say Chevy, still offer ‘improved’ economy over the old model. In the real world, though, that probably means under 20mpg.

Mazda 2 Sedan

Like the Americans, the Chinese aren't big fans of hatchback models. That's why Mazda revealed the Mazda 2 sedan at the 2007 Guangzhou Motor Show. This version of the 2 is has a more elegant form than the five-door hatch, and its stretched aesthetic aims to capture new customers in the rapidly growing Chinese B-car segment.