Denso 5070 Double Platinum Spark Plug on 2040-parts.com

Mazda outlines weight-loss program

Mazda Motor Corp. will reduce its vehicle weights by at least 220 pounds beginning in 2011, with a combination of lighter-weight materials, smaller vehicle footprints and new engineering processes, a top executive says. The typical Mazda vehicle has gained 80 pounds with each successive redesign, “mostly in larger tires and wheels, and safety equipment,” said Robert Davis, senior vice president of product development and quality for Mazda North American Operations.

Kia Optima T-Hybrid concept revealed ahead of Paris debut

Kia Optima T-Hybrid concept revealed ahead of Paris debut It looks like Kia is ready to push the start button on a new range of mild hybrids with the reveal of the Kia Optima T-Hybrid concept ahead of its debut later this week at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. The new mild hybrid powertrain isn’t going to make an enormous difference to power or economy, but in a world where taxation gets based on official CO2 figures it will make the Optima more appealing to company car buyers. The Optima hybrid gets the normal 1.7 litre diesel engine and adds a small electric motor powered by a 48V lead-carbon battery which will be enough for short running at low speeds on electric power alone or allow some electric ‘cruising’ on motorways.

SEMA ups scholarship money for car-crazed college kids

The Specialty Equipment Market Association, better known to most of us as SEMA, has announced a hefty boost to its SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund for 2013: The top student selected now gets $1,000 more for a total of $5,000 toward an automotive-related college education. Other eligible participants in four-year programs get $3,000—last year, they only received $2,000—and two-year students get their funds doubled to $2,000. In the Buckeye State, one lucky student at the Ohio Technical College will get complete tuition coverage, which is a cool $29,400.