New Facet Ignition Control Unit, 06302pt2000 on 2040-parts.com

Opel Adam going rallying

Opel is adding a bit of rally credibility to the new Adam by taking it rallying with an Adam R2 rally car for a one-make cup. But perhaps GM Europe are hoping to inject a bit of performance credibility in to the uninspiring mechanical offerings the Adam currently offers with the revelation that they’re making a rally Adam prepared to basic R2 spec, which means a tweak or three from the standard production car. That means upgrades to the engine, suspension, brakes and gearbox to produce an Adam rally car that’s an affordable entry point for young drivers and Opel are aiming to compete in the ADAC Opel Rally cup with the Adam R2.

Mercedes color and trim manager on the new SL-Class interior [w/video]

Mercedes has released a video as part of the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, discussing interior design details of the new 2013 SL-Class. In the video Nicola Ehrenberg-Uhlig, manager of color and trim for Mercedes-Benz, explains the choices made when the vehicle was designed and how the design team wanted to convey the car's personality via special materials. Aviation is the theme for the new SL-Class, which in the designers' minds stood for clear design, functionality, speed and power.

Driven: a week with a Chevrolet Volt

In Fall 2010, before the Volt went on sale in North America, we sampled an early build model and came away so impressed, we declared it the car for the digital age. Since then the car has received harsh criticism from the press and been outsold by the Nissan Leaf in the North American market. Given the unique powertrain, we felt longer exposure to the Volt was therefore in order, so on a recent trip to Michigan, we lived with one for five days.