Performance Tool Soldering Gun Kit W2012 on 2040-parts.com

Automakers should disable technologies that distract drivers, U.S. says

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday released its long-awaited guidelines on distracted driving, calling on automakers to disable applications that allow drivers to manually access social media, surf the Web or send text messages while on the road. The recommendations also seek to prevent any in-car technologies that require drivers to use both hands or take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds.

Kia Naimo concept at the Seoul auto show explores an electric-powered city car

Kia continues to explore its electric-car capabilities with the Naimo small-car concept, unveiled on Thursday at the Seoul motor show. The boxy, four-seat Naimo fits into the B-size class, which includes cars such as the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris, the Ford Fiesta and the Chevrolet Sonic. The Naimo is 153.2 inches long and has a wheelbase of 104.2 inches.

New Skoda Octavia vRS hatch & estate revealed

The 2013 Skoda Octavia vRS has been revealed (vRS hatch pictured) The Skoda Octavia vRS – the latest version of Skoda’s quick and appealing take on the VW Golf GTI – has been unveiled ahead of its debut at the Goodwood FoS in July, and it looks a cracker. Available as either a hatchback or estate – and as a diesel or a petrol – the Octavia vRS manages to repackage the Golf GTI and Golf GTD in to one Skoda, offering good performance (the vRS is a bit slower than the GTI to 62mph at 6.8 seconds but has a 2mph higher top speed), good looks and the promise of prices starting not much above £20k. The petrol vRS gets the Golf GTI’s 217bhp 2.0 litre TSI and the diesel vRS the 181bhp 2.0 litre TFI from the Golf GTD, both with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard and a six-speed DSG as option, sports suspension, XDS differential, quicker steering and multi-link rear suspension.