Subaru Forester, Shifter on 2040-parts.com

Ford Mondeo Vignale Concept at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

With the marques in its erstwhile premium brand portfolio having moved on to pastures (and owners) new, Ford looks a little lacking in the options when it comes to challenging at the plusher end of the global car market. Vignale is the Blue Oval’s response. “A unique upscale product and ownership experience” is how Ford was selling Vignale as the covers came off the Mondeo Vignale Concept car at Frankfurt 2013.

IIHS gives Camry, Prius v hybrid poor safety rating

Thirteen mid-sized cars have earned high marks on the insurance industry's newest frontal-crash test, but a pair of Toyota models tested fared worse than the rest. The so-called small overlap test involves crashing the front corner of a car into a barrier at 40 mph. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety devised the test to simulate a collision with a stationary object such as a tree or a utility pole.

One-off Porsche 911 Carrera 4S celebrates 5 million Facebook fans

Porsche has built a special 911 Carrera 4S (pictured) to celebrate 5 million Facebook Fans Car makers do like to get their Facebook fans to ‘design’ a car; it’s a good way of drawing fans in to the brand and give them an idea of what floats buyers’ boats. Some are not all that impressive, but the 911 Carrera 4S Porsche has built in celebration of getting 5 million fans on Facebook – designed with input from those fans – is actually quite understated. It comes in a quite fetching shade of Aqua Blue Metallic, a set of white 20″ alloys (a bit tacky), sports suspension and exhaust, an Aerokit with big back spoiler, personalised sill plates, brushed aluminium trim inside and a plaque telling the world this is a Porsche designed by 5 million Facebook fans.