Dorman 38502 Tailgate Cable on 2040-parts.com

AutoWeek office swag: Mazda rotary-engine keychain with realistic motion

When I got the keys to our long-term 2011 Mazda 5 last week, they came with a surprise--this aluminum-and-brass keychain in the shape of a rotary-engine housing, complete with moving rotor. The rotor doesn't just rattle around or spin in a circle. Thanks to a thumbwheel on the back of the housing, coupled with a timing gear and offset crank journal, the thing actually moves in an approximation of epitrochoidal motion just like a real Wankel.

U.S. auto sales continue to plunge in February

February sales for each of the top six U.S. automakers plunged more than 37 percent in February--the worst month since December 1981. "We are in an automotive depression amid 'The Great Recession,' " Standard and Poor's analyst Efraim Levy said in a report.

University of Cincinnati 2008

Students in the Transportation Design track at the University of Cincinnati recently presented their visions for the future of transport. Most of the students were asked to envision a vehicle for use in the year 2030 in a studio course sponsored by General Motors; a brief which asked students to push the design potential of the Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra pickup truck or the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon SUVs. Two graduating students also presented their visions for the automotive future, using the Volkswagen and Saturn brands as their launching pad.