Mercruiser Alpha 1 Outdrive (stern Drive) on 2040-parts.com

Black boxes in cars likely to become standard

Most people are aware of event data recorders, commonly called “black boxes,” in airplanes. Many people don't realize a variety of passenger cars also have these devices -- and they may be mandatory for 2015 model year cars. There are black boxes in about 96 percent of cars for the 2013 model year, according to the

Cars Land to open on June 15 at Disney's California Adventure

Pixar's animated movie Cars will come to life on June 15 when Disney's California Adventure opens a real-life version of the Western desert road town of Radiator Springs. The 12-acre attraction will feature everything from a Flo's Drive-In and a Cozy Cone to a high-speed "Radiator Springs Racers" ride with six-seat, open-topped race cars fashioned after your favorite Cars characters. The race cars operate on a track similar to the one used for the General Motors proving-ground attraction at Disney's Epcot Center in Florida.

Concept Car of the Week: Heuliez H4 (1972)

With the H4, Heuliez set out into unexplored territories by offering a concept tailored to the needs of taxi drivers. If today's minivans are an integral part of our daily lives, this Peugeot 204-based H4 should be placed back in its original context in the early ‘70s, when this monovolume architecture still belonged to science fiction. Its dimensions are comparable to a Renault Modus although it's shortened by 140mm.