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Audi Q7 gets a facelift

But it’s been three years since we were first introduced to the Q7 (at the Los Angeles Motor Show in 2006) so Audi has decided the Q7 needed a little facelift. There have been a few spy shots around recently showing a slightly changed Q7, so we knew it was coming. But, like all the best facelifts, it’s barely perceptible.

Volkswagen launches Car-Net in-car assistance system

Volkswagen has launched an in-car assistance system which will offer a number of convenience and diagnostic features. Not too dissimilar from some other systems already on the market -- such as BMW Assist, Mercedes-Benz'sMbrace, and GM's On-Star -- VW's system will offer roadside assistance, service appointment scheduling, and automatic crash notification. The latter triggers a call from the vehicle to a Car-Net customer specialist when the airbags in the car are deployed, which will then connect the occupants with a local public safety answering point, which can send emergency vehicles to the scene if needed.

Electric wire eases closing of Corvette Stingray hatch

A single piece of wire makes closing the hatch on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray easier. Tucked behind the rear fascia, the alloy wire changes shape when an electric current heats it up. The wire returns to its previous shape when it cools.