Mercury Starboard Exhaust Elbow 44267t (cast 44267c) on 2040-parts.com

Americans plan to keep their cars longer, AutoPacific study finds

In another chilling sign that auto sales are likely to remain stalled, a new study finds that Americans intend to keep their cars longer, indicating a general concern about the industry and the overall economy. The number of new-car buyers planning to keep their rides more than four years has risen to 59 percent, according to a study released Tuesday by California marketing research firm AutoPacific. That's an increase from last year, when about 45 percent of new buyers intended to wait more than four years for their next purchase, and it's up from 2005's tally of 46 percent.

Ford Grand C-Max at 2009 Frankfurt motor show

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 15 September 2009 09:00 Ford showed off the seven-seat Grand C-Max at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show - marking the first time the Blue Oval has nudged into the territory hogged by Renault (Grand Scenic) and Vauxhall (Zafira). The new Ford Grand C-Max has sliding doors, another first for the Blue Oval in this segment, to help passengers climbing into the two rows of rear seats. No more excuses for dinged door panels in car parks!

End of the road for 'Queen's favourite' car

ONE OF the most-loved and long-lived road vehicles, and a favourite with the Queen, is to cease production. The last Land Rover Defender will be produced by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) at Solihull in the West Midlands in December 2015. Featuring in the Angelina Jolie film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and in the latest James Bond movie, Skyfall, the Defender name can be traced back to the early 1990s.