Kenwood Kdc-c669 6 Cd Changer on 2040-parts.com

GM's top battery executive for the Volt to join California startup

General Motors's top executive in charge of developing batteries for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid is leaving to take a position with an unnamed startup battery company in California. Denise Gray, 46, global director of rechargeable energy storage systems, will step down March 5 after more than three years in the post. This was “an opportunity that I could just not resist,” Gray said in a phone interview.

Automotive Archaeology: Chicago collector creates gems from the junkyard

Chicago-area native Joe Bortz began collecting cars in 1962 with no idea that he'd become renowned for having possibly the world's best collection of significant concept cars. More than 40 years later, that's an honor Bortz wears with pride, but it speaks to only a part of his collection of machinery. Bortz's car-collecting passion began with a 1928 Chevrolet Landau coupe.

Silver remains the top car color, but black is closing the gap

Silver and black are in close competition for the world's most popular car color this year. DuPont's 58th global automotive-color report showed just two percentage points separating silver from black as the preferred color--with black being substantially popular outside of North America. After seven years running at the No.