Suburbn15 2003 Spare Wheel Carrier 47021 on 2040-parts.com

Volkswagen Up!

VW has released images of its next production small car, the Up! ahead of its Frankfurt debut next month. It's almost four years to the day since the first concept Up!

Nissan future products: Focus is on technology

Nissan Division will be focused for the next few years not just on how to move its product line forward but also how to produce it less expensively. As the company embarks on a multiyear wave of new technologies and a brand-marketing campaign focused on innovation, it also is looking to bring down manufacturing costs through platform sharing, modular components and common parts. The first example of this new process is the redesigned Versa sedan, which will be assembled in Mexico.

Chrysler recalls Wrangler, Compass and Patriot

Chrysler Group said today it will recall more than 220,000 units of the Jeep Wrangler to fix a transmission flaw and 409,000 units of the Jeep Compass and Patriot worldwide to fix a software glitch that could stop airbags and seatbelts from working in a crash. The recalls add to a growing list of safety problems at Chrysler, which stunned the auto industry this week by taking the rare step of rebuffing a recall request from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. On Tuesday, Chrysler refused to recall 2.7 million units of the 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-07 Jeep Liberty, claiming that the vehicles were built in compliance with safety standards and are not more accident-prone than other vehicles of the time.