New Eurospare Ball Joint, Cac9938 on 2040-parts.com

European car sales down 5.2%

EUROPEAN UNION car sales are still sagging despite the return of modest economic growth. For the first eight months of the year, passenger car sales were down 5.2% to 7.84 million compared with the same period last year, the European Auto Manufacturers' Association said - the lowest January-August figure since the group started keeping records in 1990. New car registrations in August fell five per cent from a year ago to 653,872.

Mercedes-Benz Business-Limousine by BINZ offers stealth and value

While the Mercedes-Benz S-class XL, the Maybach 62 replacement rumored to use the name Pullman, is still a few months and a couple hundred thousand dollars away, there are other options out there for getting work done on the road to the office. While Brabus wowed crowds at the Frankfurt motor show just a couple months ago with its mental Biturbo iBusiness sedan based on the newest S-class, at the end of the day we weren't sure if that was a car for the rear-seat passenger or the driver. German coachbuilder BINZ GmbH has made a name for itself over the last few decades building Mercedes-Benz-based ambulances and unbelievably cool security cars based on the G-class, and the company also happens to offer a number of options when it comes to limousines.

VW Pickup concept (2008): first official photos

By Chris Chilton First Official Pictures 24 September 2008 18:00 He’s designed Alfa Romeos, Audis and even a Lamborghini but now Walter de'Silva has gone all humanitarian and designed a pick-up.  VW’s first small flatbed since the Mk1 Golf-based Caddy will take on trucks like the Toyota Hilux and Mitusbishi L200 when it goes on sale late in 2009. It is, but not for long. This thinly veiled concept, called simply Pickup Concept, has been designed as a search and rescue vehicle for coastguards but essentially this is what badge-conscious UK builders will be driving in 2009. The new Volkswagen corporate face with its monobrow top grille and wide mouth is likely to be carried over mostly unchanged to the cars that will roll off the South African production line, as will the surprisingly stylish interior which features hooded instruments and Audi TT-style air vents. Mechanical details are sketchy but Volkswagen claims that engines will be common-rail diesels which rules out the old-tech 2.5 five pot that powers many of VW’s current commercials.