Kimpex Steel Ski- Ski-doo #08-322 on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes touts future safety with research vehicle

In 1980, when several automakers began to use airbags, there were people who thought that cars couldn't possibly get any safer. Karl-Heinz Baumann, a safety researcher at Mercedes-Benz AG in Stuttgart, was not one of them. "We said, 'No, it cannot be all,' and we kept doing more research." The results of that research are presented on the company's most recent Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV), on display now in the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart.

2014 Camaro Z/28 boasts slick aero tricks

When the Chevy Camaro Z/28 was unveiled last spring at the New York auto show, we were told how Chevy took stuff out to lighten the car. Trunk carpet and interior sound-deadening material are jettisoned, the sound system has but one speaker, the rear glass is thinner and so on. Despite the decontenting, it turns out the Z/28 is no stripper, at least in terms of aero technology: Chevrolet says the 2014 Camaro Z/28 manages airflow “like few other production vehicles, generating downforce like a race car.” Delving into the hyperbole reveals numerous exterior modifications designed to improve not just aerodynamics, but powertrain and brake-system cooling, as well.

Convertible prices down – time to buy

Now is the best time to buy a convertible Traditionally, the end of the year has seen a big drop in the price of convertibles. Conversely, the Spring always sees a price rise. Which in the past always made sense. After all, who wants to be driving round in a drafty, cold soft-top when winter bites?