Magnaflow 447174 Universal Fit California Catalytic Converter on 2040-parts.com

GM, SAIC to develop electric cars in China

General Motors will work with its joint-venture partner, Chinese carmaker SAIC Motor Corp., to develop parts and vehicle platforms for electric cars, the companies said on Tuesday. The automakers will use their existing joint venture in Shanghai, the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, as the home base to develop the electric car--aimed primarily at the Chinese market. GM says it plans to use the platform, components and technology from the project to build electric cars around the world for various markets.

Renault Laguna

Renault has released photos of the all-new upper-medium segment Laguna five-door hatchback and estate that will compete with the Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 407 and Volkswagen Passat in European markets. The new Laguna is a conservative evolution of the themes introduced in 2000 with the second generation Laguna: the hatchback moving further towards a sedan-like profile, while the estate model has a more sporting character from its steeply raked wraparound rear screen and horizontal lamps. The Laguna's most notable design features include the angular front and rear lamp design, and a distinctive plunging shoulder line, which is echoed in the sweeping IP form.

Toyota fails to land 'top safety pick' rating in insurance-group study

For the first time in three years, none of Toyota Motor Corp.'s vehicles received “top safety pick” ratings from an insurance group, as tougher criteria pared the number of selections from 94 last year to 27 this year. Ford Motor Co. led all automakers for the second year in a row with six 2010-model top safety picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, including four from Volvo, a brand that's being sold.