F150 1999 Wiper Arm               73072 on 2040-parts.com

SsangYong Korando CSX Commercial: It’s a van – sort of

SsangYong are continuing their Korando offensive with the Korando CSX Commercial, a van based on the Korando. The Ssangyong Korando is a decent effort to take on cars like the Hyundai ix35 and Ford Kuga, and now they’re having a punt at turning the Korando in to a ‘van’. But they haven’t exactly gone overboard with the detail and appear to have simply removed the back seats and painted out the back windows so no one can see what you’re carrying.

Minicars perform poorly in crash tests, study says

Minicars made by Toyota, Honda and Daimler AG did poorly on frontal crash tests with mid-sized automobiles, prompting an influential safety organization to suggest consumers consider buying larger cars that have comparable fuel economy. The Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Smart ForTwo all collapsed upon impact into the space around the driver dummy, according to the study released today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Drivers in all three vehicles faced high risk of head and leg injuries after test collisions at 40 miles an hour, even after airbags inflated, said the non-profit group funded by auto insurers.

Exclusive: Honda to Close European Design Studios

In a surprise announcement, Honda has decided to close design operations in Europe, based in Germany. The decision to shut down both the car design and motorcycle design studios of Honda R&D Europe (HRE-G) in Offenbach, near Frankfurt was taken at the end of September and came as a shock announcement to employees. It represents the latest casualty in cuts for the car design community.