Honda Xr200r Throttle Cable And Handlebar Housing on 2040-parts.com

Automakers try to stop increase in ethanol limit to 15 percent of gasoline

Automakers are seeking to head off an EPA ruling that would allow gasoline to contain 15 percent ethanol, up from 10 percent now, and they've won some bipartisan congressional support. The two main automaker industry lobbies have argued that the U.S. Department of Energy has done insufficient testing to assure that gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol won't harm vehicles.

New Mercedes SL 400 replaces SL 350

The new Mercedes SL 400 (pictured) replaces the old SL 350 It’s a little over two years since the latest Mercedes SL arrived, and Mercedes has now decided to add a little zest to sales by dropping the old SL 350 and replacing it with a new Mercedes SL 400. The new SL 400 gets its power from the new E400 which means a twin-turbo 3.0 litre V6 with 328bhp and 354 lb/ft of torque – 26bhp and 81 lb/ft more than the old SL 350 – enough to let the SL 400 scoot to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds – 0.7s better than the 350 -= and on to a limited top speed of 155 mph. The new SL 400 has to make do with Mercedes tried and tested 7-speed auto – despite a new 9-speed now being available in Mercedes’ arsenal – which gives the SL 400 official economy of 38.6 mpg and emissions of 172g/km – not that you’ll come close in the real world.

Driven: Toyota Aygo (2014)

When the original Aygo launched in 2005, it shared the A-segment with nine rivals, including its sister cars, the Citroën C1 and Peugeot 107. In 2014, there are 20 small city cars on the European market, placing extra pressure on the Aygo's designers to ensure it offers something unique and competitive. But while the design rethink needs to move the car forward, pragmatism dictates that a truly successful reinvention will ensure the Aygo also remains integrated with Toyota's line-up; it's one of the top sellers in Toyota's European portfolio, and a proven driver of brand loyalty.