Metal Logo 52mm Steering Wheel Sticker Emblem Badge Amg Mercedes Benz Balck on 2040-parts.com

The fall and rise of the budget car

Twenty years ago, the classic bargain brands like Lada seemed to be going the same way as the Soviet empire that spawned them. Woefully dated and badly made, only a weirdo would have bought a new Lada rather than a second-hand model from Ford, Vauxhall or VW. However, one of the big trends in the car industry today is the re-emergence of bargain cars.

Infiniti G Convertible

The second-generation Infiniti G37 coupe - badged Nissan Skyline in Japan - was previewed by the Coupe Concept at the 2006 NAIAS show and debuted in production form at the 2007 New York Auto Show. Now, at the 2008 LA Auto Show, the convertible version has appeared with a three-part folding hardtop, following BMW's lead with the conceptually similar 3-Series cabriolet. Powered exclusively by a 3.7-liter V6, the G37 convertible comes with a specification that includes leather seats, a 'power walk-in' device that electrically moves the front seats out of the way to help ingress and egress to the rear, and air-conditioning that automatically detects whether the roof is up or down.

One Lap of the Web: Hockey players' rides, the Alaskan Land Train and Mini versus shopping carts

Hockey players go fast and hit hard, but ever wonder what cars they choose to drive to and from the rink? Here is former Detroit Red Wing forward Ray Whitney's muscle car collection. LeTourneau A massive land train used to haul goods and people across the vast open land of Alaska In its glory years, the mighty Alaskan Land Train could haul 150 tons of cargo across the frozen northern wastes.