Edelbrock 1564 E-force Street Legal Supercharger Kit on 2040-parts.com

European Parliament: electric cars must make noise

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a European Commission proposal to decrease the maximum allowed noise for new cars, vans, trucks, buses and coaches, in an effort to reduce “vehicle noise nuisance” by 25%. At the same time, the EU has voted in favour of a proposal to force carmakers to fit electric and hybrid electric vehicles with a sound generating device, to improve low speed safety for pedestrians and the visually impaired. On Bing: see pictures of electric cars Find out how much a used electric car costs on Auto Trader The proposed changes, which are expected to become law, would see new car noise levels reduced by four decibels, commercial vehicle noise levels reduced by three decibels.

More executive upheaval as GM changes CFO

Chris Liddell, the onetime executive hotshot hired from Microsoft and rumored to be a candidate for CEO, is leaving General Motors on April 1. The 52-year-old will be replaced by Dan Ammann, 38, who is GM’s treasurer. Liddell oversaw GM’s historic return to the stock market last year after its 2009 bankruptcy.

Official photos of the new 2012 Volvo V40 leak out

The new Volvo V40 arrives The new Volvo V40 – dues to debut at the Geneva Motor Show – has leaked ouy early from a Polish Facebook page. We has what looked like the first photo of the new Volvo V40 a week or so ago, but we now have what is undoubtedly the first official photo of the 2012 V40 ahead of its debut at Geneva in a couple of weeks. Looking a bit like a cross between the C30 and the V60, the V40 is a good looking car.