Dorman Window Lift Motor 742-150 on 2040-parts.com

Michelin Challenge Design announces 2008 jury

Michelin Challenge Design, known for enticing some of the world's most talented up and coming designers, has convened its 2008 panel of judges. The eight automotive design experts met July 16-17, 2007, at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, to select the vehicle designs and concepts for special exhibition at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January. This year marks the seventh year for the international competition with a record 272 individual designers, teams, studios, and companies from over 50 countries submitting full-size vehicles, scale models and computer-generated renderings in support of the central theme, 'Safer.

New Peugeot 208 production cut as sales disappoint

Peugeot is cutting back on production of the new 208 as its sales fail to reach expectations, just six months on from launch. It’s not enough when Europe is ion the midst of an economic crisis and car buyers are polarised between ‘budget’ cars that offer more for less than mainstream offerings and ‘Premium’ models that are bought on the back of a preconceived notion of more kudos. That leaves car makers like Peugeot (and Renault, Citroen, Vauxhall, Ford, Opel, Fiat…) between a rock and a hard place, unable – or unwilling – to compete with the offerings from Korea and saddled with a brand that doesn’t have the ‘class’ of an Audi or a BMW or a Mercedes or even a VW.

E85 makes inroads on cost and availability

Three years ago, we embarked on a Midwest road trip in search of what was then the Holy Grail of fuel: E85. Our findings weren't too positive--there were far more E85-compatible vehicles on the road in 2006 (5 million) than there were E85 pumps to fuel them (about 700 out of some 200,000 fuel stations nationwide). In addition, those burning the mix of 15 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol were paying a pretty penny for their earth-friendly ways, losing about 15 percent in fuel economy while often paying the same price as for regular unleaded.