Echlin Ignition Parts Ech Ar6349 - A/c Control Relay on 2040-parts.com

Smart For-US

Smart has announced the For-US concept, which will debut at the 2012 NAIAS. The For-US is a two seat 'urban pick-up' that adopts a 'tongue-in-cheek' demeanor and is aimed at youth and the young-at-heart. The pint-sized pick-up is a zero-emission vehicle with a 55kW magneto-electric motor at its core.

Mercedes SLK-Class

The third-generation Mercedes SLK (now 'SLK-Class') will make its world debut at the Geneva motor show next month. While this all-new, third-generation model retains the overall proportions of the outgoing model, its design language is very different. Soft, subtle forms are out, particularly around its DRG, were a brutal grille, complete with bold chrome bar and star, takes center stage.

Hot seats: from design to delivery [sponsored]

As the user demands on car interiors are increasingly influenced by their growing design consciousness, so suppliers like Lear strive to bring better-engineered seating to satisfy. 2013 was another big year for Lear, as Jeanette Puig-Pey, its global fabric & leather design manager, enthuses: "At our ‘Design2Perform' event we celebrated the unveiling of our brand new collection, with special emphasis on color and texture and our TeXstyle Enhance product, perfect for customization. Laser etching is part of this offering, it is exclusive to Lear Corporation and can be used to add refined design elements to cloth and leather." A mix of fabric and leather in seating is not new but is often seen by the consumer as a cheaper alternative to full leather.