Hopkins Towing Solution 53075 Plug-in Simple Brake Control Connector on 2040-parts.com

Volkswagen hits back, weighs making a bid for Porsche

Volkswagen is considering an audacious reverse-takeover bid for its majority shareholder, Porsche, in a twist in the drawn-out struggle for control between the two German carmakers. The Volkswagen Group's supervisory board is said to be weighing the possibility of purchasing Porsche AG, in a move that would relieve its holding company, Porsche SE, of massive debt that industry analysts suggest the company may not be able to fund should the world's financial crisis drag on well into 2010--a scenario put forward this week by the International Monetary Fund. The secret plan emerged as shareholders were set to convene at Volkswagen's annual meeting on Thursday, and it comes after Porsche revealed that it is carrying some 9 billion euros ($11.73 billion) in debt, most of it owing to interest on loans taken out to purchase its 50.8 percent stake in VW.

Ford to introduce inflatable seatbelts

When the 2011 Ford Explorer hits showrooms, its move to a unibody platform won't be the only major change. Ford will use the next-generation Explorer to introduce inflatable seatbelts for rear passengers. According to Ford, the inflatable seatbelt will help distribute crash forces across five times more body area, compared with traditional seatbelts.

Umeå Institute of Design Degree Show 2008

Masters students at Sweden's Umeå University Institute of Design exhibited their final projects in the annual Degree Exhibition in early June. This year 38 students exhibited their work, including 7 from MA Transportation Design, 5 from MA Advanced Product Design, 6 from MA Interaction Design and a further 20 from the BA Industrial Design course. The MA Transportation Design programme is led by Tony Catignani, with Nick Coughlan as external tutor.