Moroso 71345 5/16in X .5in Steel Oval Head Quick Fastener on 2040-parts.com

Policy, green cars take center stage at Washington auto show

Public policy and the ultimate impact it has on consumers' cars was the hot topic on Thursday at the Washington auto show, as companies vied to show off and explain their latest fuel-efficient technologies under the watchful eyes of regulators and government officials. Notably, Chevrolet announced plans to roll out an "Ecologic" environmental label on the 2012 Sonic, with other vehicles to follow. Sort of like nutrition labels for food, Chevy's version will explain the environmental impact of cars throughout their life cycles.

Ultrasonic shields may replace wipers on future McLarens

A few weeks ago, the NHTSA issued a recall for all McLaren MP4 12-Cs originally sold or currently owned in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. The reason? The combination of high heat and high humidity may cause wiper motor brushes to fail, something we imagine would be especially inopportune in the middle of a downpour.

Concept Car of the Week: Autobianchi Runabout (1969)

The 850 was a very popular car for Fiat in the ‘60s, especially in its spider version with its cute design and compact proportions. When the time came to replace it, Fiat went back to Bertone, where chief designer Marcello Gandini was charged with designing its replacement. Not happy to simply recreate the 850, he began with a whole new layout by placing the engine directly in front of the rear axle for a mid-engined layout.