Mercedes Benz #300e 1993 Left Tail Light Lens on 2040-parts.com

Japan-market Toyota Corolla gets upscale and safety features

Toyota Motor Corp. is packing the redesigned 11th-generation Corolla with new technologies in a bid to give the compact a more upscale feel. Standard or optional on the Japanese version of the Corolla are such features as climate-controlled seats, automatic high-beam headlamp dimmers, safety belts with pre-tensioners and interior lights that turn off automatically.

First Sight: Holden Torana concept

Holden has stolen the limelight at the opening of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, unveiling a ground-up concept car dubbed the Torana TT36. The concept revives a famous Australian nameplate from the 1970s - appropriate since, like the original Torana, it features rear wheel drive and a six cylinder engine. That's where the similarities end, however, as the new Torana's engine is an experimental 280kW/490Nm twin turbocharged version of the new global V6 Holden has begun manufacturing for various parts of the GM world and which will eventually be used by Alfa Romeo.

First customers are key to EV sales success, execs say

Word of mouth is a key element to generating buyers for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Today, it's the early adapters, tech-savvy buyers who are embracing the technology and buying the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt and the battery-powered Nissan Leaf. But for these vehicles and similar models to go mainstream, anxiety about the technology needs to be eliminated.