Nice Pair Vent Window Cranks 1966 Pontiac Grand Prix on 2040-parts.com

Volkswagen Jetta Alltrack crossover possible

Volkswagen is not finished with plans to extend the Jetta portfolio. The suits inside the Wolfsburg, Germany, headquarters are mulling a plan for a crossover version of the future Jetta SportWagen along the lines of the recently introduced Alltrack concept. “We think there is definite sales potential in North America and other world markets for a new lifestyle-targeted Jetta model,” a senior Volkswagen source divulged.

MIT develops self-transforming materials that behave 'like robots without robots'

A cross-disciplinary research lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a suite of programmable materials, including carbon fiber, printed wood grain, textile composites, rubbers and plastics, that self-transform when exposed to an external stimulus. Director of the Self-Assembly Lab, Skylar Tibbits, presented a TED talk on 4D printing in 2013, where he demonstrated how a flat sheet of material could effectively build itself when exposed to water, like a robot without a robot. Following positive feedback from industries including aviation, automotive and manufacturing, his lab has been working on developing materials that change according to different activation sources, including heat, light, and air pressure, in addition to water – all of which have automotive relevance.

Car manufacturing halted in Japan

Nissan cars awaiting export wrecked by Tsunami In the wake of the devastating earthquake and Tsunami that struck Japan last week, the domestic car industry has ground to a halt. Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi have all now said they are halting all production until at least Wednesday in order to allow time to address damage, and to allow staff to make contact with family in affected areas. But it’s not just the damage to plants that’s the problem.