Franklin Transmission Parts Catalog 1985 on 2040-parts.com

2012 Volkswagen Beetle to launch with Black Turbo edition

Volkswagen is borrowing a page from sister company Porsche and will turn to the color black to sex up the soon-to-arrive 2012 VW Beetle--and to draw attention to a preorder program launching this year. The Beetle Black Turbo edition follows in the lineage of Porsche 911s augmented with Black editions, and the VW will sticker for $25,720, including shipping. Power comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, which is the same as the regular turbo Beetle--and VW's hot hatch, the GTI.

Ford adds 2.0-liter four to crate-engine lineup

Enthusiasts who think that the 2.0-liter engine from the 2012 Ford Focus would be a fine fit for their car projects will be able to buy one from Ford Racing's crate-engine program. Ford is also adding a pair of pushrod V8s to the crate-engine lineup for 2012. The 2.0-liter is the first in a family of crate engines based on Ford's global four-cylinder engine.

Aston Martin configurator for the Cygnet and the Virage hits the Web

The few times a year that Aston Martin graces AutoWeek with a press car, our joy is short-lived. There's never enough seat time to go around. Luckily, we can all dream together with the new Aston Martin configurator at the company's Web site, www.astonmartin.com.