Distributor-new (electronic) Cardone 84-1639 on 2040-parts.com

Frankfurt 2011: 2012 Honda Civic

2012 Honda Civic revealed at Frankfurt 2011 We had quite a tease from Honda on the 2012 Civic in the run-up to Frankfurt, but at least it was a tease with substance, rather than just pointless shots of bits of a new car. Honda made the effort to divvy up ‘official’ spy shots and to put together some talking head videos which, although a little dry, were at least informative. So it’s nice to see the real deal 2012 Civic at Frankfurt, even if it is very much an evolutionary refresh for 2012, rather than anything too drastic in styling terms.

New Smart ForTwo and ForFour set for 2014 unveil

Mercedes-Benz's struggling Smart city car division is seeking to add a new dimension to the urban driving experience with its third-generation ForTwo, currently undergoing the final phase of a three-year test and development program ahead of a planned unveiling mid next year. Set for North American launch in 2015, the ultra-compact two-seat hatchback represents a fresh chapter in operations for Smart, which has recently gained greater independence from parent company Mercedes-Benz as its boss, Annette Winkler, attempts to stem years of financial losses after almost a decade of rebuilding following its short-lived joint venture with Mitsubishi. The new ForTwo, known internally as project C453, has been developed in a joint engineering program with the upcoming second-generation ForFour and its sister car, the third-generation Renault Twingo.

Bertone looking for buyers as bankruptcy nears

Italian design house Bertone has confirmed it entered bankruptcy proceedings in Italy, The Telegraph reports, amid recent reports that it laid off a significant percentage of its workforce. A spokesperson for the struggling company told The Telegraph that the company is searching for a buyer. "The problem is many debts and very high costs.