Davis Spar-fly -1310 on 2040-parts.com

General Motors combines smartphone functions with the Chevrolet Volt

General Motors is bringing together two of the hottest areas of technology--smartphones and plug-in electric cars. GM's OnStar telematics unit has developed a downloadable application that will let Chevrolet Volt drivers use a Blackberry Storm, Apple iPhone or Motorola Droid to remotely control and monitor some vehicle functions, such as charging. The Volt is slated to go into production late this year and arrive in California utility company fleets by early 2011.

2013 Nissan Quest base price stays at $26,815

Nissan is giving the 2013 Quest minivan the same base price as the 2012 model—$26,815 including the $825 shipping charges—and cutting the sticker price on two of the more popular trim levels. The top-trim Quest LE sees its sticker price climb of $290 to $43,465, but gets the around-view monitor added to the list of standard equipment. The sticker price of the 2013 Nissan Quest SV, one step up from the base model, was trimmed $1,310 from the 2012 model price to $30,565.

CAR tech: Britain's £1bn auto-industry revolution

By Damion Smy Motor Industry 21 October 2013 09:30 BMW, Jaguar-Land Rover and Nissan are just a handul of the car companies to have seen the potential in British design and engineering. Read on to find out just how they're actually helping Britian fight Germany as the car world's most pivotal auto-industry R&D hub. More than £1billion will be invested in the UK over the next decade to build a hub of design, engineering and manufacturing nous in the automotive equivalent of California’s Silicon Valley.