Nissan Bluebird 1996 Left Fender Panel [0410700] on 2040-parts.com

CES: GM to open the dashboard to developers

At last year's Autoweek Design Forum, father of the iPod and Nest Labs co-founder Tony Fadell suggested that automakers concentrate on designing and building cars, leaving handset makers to handle infotainment. The latest announcements from Ford and GM -- in conjunction with the International CES -- suggest that automakers would rather treat the dashboard space as a handset. Yesterday, Dearborn, Mich., announced the Ford Developer Program, which opens up Sync to outside application development; now General Motors has announced a similar initiative.

Toyota gives paralyzed bride a mobility van

In the 14 months after bride-to-be Rachelle Friedman took a paralyzing fall at her bachelorette party, she'd become pretty dependent on her wheelchair-accessible loaner van. Little did she know that Toyota planned to hand one over as a gift for her wedding--postponed until this week in Raleigh, N.C. Toyota and Braun--a manufacturer for wheelchair-accessible van conversions--had lent Friedman and her fianc

Renault Mégane Renaultsport 250 (2009): first UK details

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 15 October 2009 14:00 Renault today confirmed the full spec of UK-bound hot Méganes. The new Mégane Renaultsport 250 will cost from £21,995 and – like other Renaultsport models – will be available in regular and Cup specs. For wimps or wheelmen, you could say.The 'regular' Mégane Renaultsport will cost £1000 more, adding leather trim, heated and electrically adjusted driver's seat, dual-zone climate control and automatic wipers.