Flowmaster Stainless Steel Force Ii Exhaust System 817538 on 2040-parts.com

Aston Martin ditches Cygnet city car

CITY SLICKERS will no longer be able to cut a dash in a diminutive Aston Martin, following the company's decision to axe the controversial Cygnet from its range. The tiny Cygnet, which takes its name from a young swan, was an adaptation of the Toyota iQ, refitted with the finest luxury materials and priced at over £30,000. Its low CO2 output is rumoured to have been the main reason for the model’s presence in the range, since Aston Martin could in that way lower the company’s average CO2 output across the range in line with European emissions rules.

To thwart speculators, Lexus will lease, not sell, 500 LFAs

Lexus has a plan to head off speculators when its limited-edition LFA sports car goes on sale in January 2011. The company will offer only two-year leases for the $375,000 two-seater, said Brian Smith, vice president of sales and dealer development for Lexus division. Lexus will hang on to the vehicle's title.

New techniques cut cost of carbon fiber

Carbon fiber, once so costly that it was the preferred material only for fighter planes and supercars, is catching the attention of weight-conscious automakers. Carbon fiber's cost is falling dramatically, thanks to production advances that let suppliers speed the material's finicky, and costly, curing process. One technological breakthrough that makes carbon-fiber auto parts more affordable may come from a process used to make carbon-fiber golf clubs.