Panhead-knucklehead "new Old Stock" Any Rigid Frame Red Flamed Fast Back Seat on 2040-parts.com

Nissan prepares electric NV200 minivan

The commercial sector could be getting a jolt of electricity from Nissan in late 2013. The company is testing all-electric versions of the NV200 minivan with the aim of offering the vehicles in taxi and delivery van models. The NV200 runs the same powertrain as the Nissan Leaf.

The scramble for scarce tires

North American automakers are struggling with a nagging shortage of tires, caused in part by tire plant closings and rising demand for low-volume specialty tires. Automakers are paying much higher prices -- double-digit percentage increases from a year ago -- as tire makers gain pricing power. "We have been bombarded from every side for additional tires, and we can't keep up," said David O'Donnell, Continental Tire's vice president of original equipment in the Americas.

Mercedes-Benz B-Class

The rather unloved yet brilliantly packaged Mercedes B-Class will enter its second generation at next month's Frankfurt motor show. Gone, sadly, is the ingenious sandwich floor construction, replaced by a conventional front-drive platform. The result is a reduction in height by 48mm to 1557mm, while length has grown by 89mm and width by 11mm.