Subaru Oem 2003 Baja-fuel Gauge 85063ae03a on 2040-parts.com

GM bets on new four-cylinder family in Europe; U.S. plans unclear

General Motors' European subsidiary, Opel, has revealed a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine that will be offered from early 2013 across its lineup, starting with the soon-to-be-revealed Astra-based Cascada convertible. The aluminum block unit, the first in a new range of so-called SIDI (spark ignition direct injection) ECOTEC engines, forms the centerpiece of the company's downsizing strategy for displacement. The engine is claimed to have improved torque characteristics and a significant reduction in consumption compared with its predecessor.

Video: Buick's lead color and trim designer, Heather Scalf on the new Encore SUV

Buick's lead color and trim designer, Heather Scalf, talks us through the Buick Encore's interior as part of General Motors' ‘Faces of GM' series of short videos. The video series, which recently featured CDN and GM's joint interactive design contest, offers an insight into the lives and duties of the team at GM. Unveiled at the 2012 NAIAS, the Encore is a compact SUV that must fit into the Buick house style of mature luxury despite is relatively small size.

Channel 4′s 4Car to close

Car website 4Car is to close at the end of the year. Despite the British love of cars, there really aren’t a huge number of car web sites that make an impact. And certainly not car websites that aren’t linked to either classified ads or existing car magazines.