Omix-ada Round Tail Lamp 12403.02 on 2040-parts.com

Four big pickups get low marks in crash tests

Four 2009 full-sized pickups got low marks in side-impact crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research group for auto insurers. Crash protection is "poor" in crew-cab versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and Nissan Titan without side-impact airbags, according to test results the institute released on Wednesday. The Dodge Ram with standard side-impact airbags got only a "marginal" rating, the institute said.

Alfa Romeo 4C Concept video – lest we forget

Alfa Romeo release an Alfa 4C Video One of the most appealing cars at this year’s Geneva Motor Show was the Alfa Romeo 4C, a good-looking, mid-engined, 2-seater coupe. Better still, Alfa let it be known that this 4C Concept wasn’t just for fun, it was on the way to a showroom near you. In fact we believed the Alfa 4C was the car that would be the halo model for Alfa Romeo’s return to the American market, at that time expected to be in 2012 but, as we reported recently, that plan is going a bit awry.

Dacia won’t build a car smaller than the Sandero

The Dacia Sandero (pictured) will remain Dacia’s smallest model In austere times, budget buys sell. Which is why Dacia is having so much success with its compact Sandero and Duster SUV. With prices on the Sandero starting at just £5,995 and Duster SUV prices as little as £8,995 (although you’ll have to pay £10,995 for a 4WD version), car buyers are buying Dacias as quickly as Renault can build them, with sales in a European market that shrank by 7 per cent last year up by 18 per cent to 90,000 cars for Dacia.