Mazda Miata Performance Handbook on 2040-parts.com

Crunch watch Jan 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard, Ben Pulman and Gareth Evans Motor Industry 30 January 2009 12:39 Friday 30 January 2009• Honda is about to close the Swindon factory for four months when Friday's shifts are finished; the shutdown will affect 2500 of the 3700 staff, who will receive full pay for two months and then 60% pay for the next eight weeks (BBC News)• Porsche has announced a sharp drop in sales and likely profits. It forecasts a 27% drop in 911, Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne sales to around 34,000 units in the six months to the end of January 2009 (Financial Times, subscription required)• Ford wants Washington to do more to stimulate car sales, after posting a record loss of nearly $14.6 billion earlier this week (Detroit News)• Honda's quarterly profit has crashed by 90% – forcing the Japanese car maker to halve its annual profit target (Detroit Free Press)Thursday 29 January 2009• Ford of Europe is a bright spot in the Blue Oval's quarterly results today, making $1.06 billion pre-tax profit in 2008 (up from $997m in 2007). It's the first profit of more than $1bn since 1989 (Automotive News Europe, subscription required)• Volvo suffered a 'disastrous 2008' with a pre-tax loss of $1.46bn.

Renault Dezir concept (2010) first official pictures

These are the first pictures of the Renault Dezir, a sporty Clio-sized electric concept set to be unveiled at the Paris motor show in September 2010. This is the first car produced under the watch of new design director Laurens van den Acker, who's charged with reinvigorating the Renault range after Patrick le Quement's departure. The Dezir concept car heralds a new design language for Renault, which has seen the small car market become increasingly chic (think Citroen DS3) yet it's soldiered on with just the Clio and, now, the Wind Roadster.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Adidas & Golf GTI Exclusive at Wörthersee 2010

The VW Golf GTI Adidas at Worthersee The Worthersee Tour is a big customisers event for Volkswagens held every year in May in Worthersee in Austria. It’s been a feature on the calendar since 1982 and was originally a meet up for owners of the original Golf GTI. Over the years it has become much more and we see all sorts of cars from the VW group such as the seven Audi A1 specials this year and the Audi Q5 Worthersee Concept last year.