Davis Intruments 132 Davis Quick Reference Celestial Navigation Card on 2040-parts.com

How Mercedes sees into the future

Mercedes' crystal ball is named Alexander Mankowsky. At 56, he's dressed for CES in khaki trousers and a leather vest, with thin glasses perched on a round face; his frizzy white hair resembles what Einstein's would if he were caught in a wind tunnel. He might be a long-distant uncle, or he might be Doc Brown, fresh from the DeLorean.

Ford scores tumble, Toyota rebounds in Initial Quality survey

Buyer satisfaction with new cars and trucks from Ford Motor Co., a strength that has helped it increase sales and market share in recent years, has tumbled, and Toyota has rebounded from its abnormally poor year-ago showing, according to a study released Thursday. In a J.D. Power and Associates survey that tracks problems reported during the first 90 days of ownership, the Ford and Lincoln brands plunged below the industry average of 107 problems reported per 100 models studied.

Porsche Cayman Black Edition revealed

Porsche has revealed its latest limited-run sports car: the Cayman S Black Edition. Created as a send-off for the current Cayman lineup, which is set to be replaced within the next 12 months, the coupe is planned to go on sale in July with a more powerful engine, a larger wheel-and-tire package and greater standard-equipment levels than those of the existing Cayman S. Taking a page from Henry Ford, the Cayman S Black Edition is available in any color you like--as long as it's black Inside, the Porsche gets black trims, black sport seats, a sport steering wheel, darkened instrument graphics, stainless-steel scuff plates with “Black Edition” inscriptions and a commemorative badge identifying it as one of a limited build of 500 units.