Standard Motor Products S1480 Connector/pigtail (body Sw & Rly) on 2040-parts.com

2012 BMW 1-series gets light freshening

BMW is lightly updating the 1-series coupe and convertible for 2012 with several sporty modifications. The 128i and the 135i get air curtains for the front fascia to counter aerodynamic drag. Other refinements include accents for the headlights and taillights and light finishings for the interior.

Mercedes signs joint venture to build carbonfibre parts

Not to be outdone by BMW’s joint venture with the SGL Group to manufacturer commercially viable carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) for the electric Megacity Vehicle, Mercedes has announced a joint venture with Japanese company Toray Industries to manufacturer and market its on CFRP automotive parts. The deal was signed in Germany today, with Toray taking a 50.1% stake, Daimler holding 44.9% and the remaining 5% being taken by other shareholders. The two companies started working together in March 2010, and while Toray has been working on the materials and moulding processes, Merc has designed the automotive parts and the technologies to join the parts together.

Pagani, Mercedes-AMG say V12s are separate

Italian sports-car maker Pagani and Mercedes-AMG, the high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz, on Thursday said that the engine for the future Pagani C9 supercar is not the same engine used in the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series roadster. The unusual announcement--automakers typically don't comment on future-product programs--refutes reports about the Pagani C9's engine. In January, Road and Track magazine reported that the V12 for the C9 was derived from the V12 in the SL65 Black Series.