Suzuki 91 King Quad 250 4x4 Lt250 Starter Motor Starter Drive Gear on 2040-parts.com

Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.

Who's Where: GM's new Asian and European design studio appointments

New additions have been made to the design management teams at General Motors, both in Asia and in Europe. Effective today (August 1), Friedhelm Engler begins his new role as Director of Design for the Pan Asian Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), based in Shanghai, China.  He is responsible for all design related activities in the joint venture between General Motors and the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC).

2013 Toyota Auris leaks

The next generation Toyota Auris (Toyota Corolla) is due to debut this year as a 2013 model, and we get the first leaked photo. We know that a replacement for the Toyota Auris is on the horizon and we’re expecting it to make a public debut (at least in Europe) at the Paris Motor Show in September before going on sale by the end of 2012. But now, thanks to a Japanese Magazine scan, we have a pretty good idea what Toyota’s new Auris/Corolla is going to look like, and it seems to be the current Auris with a dose of Lexus thrown in for good measure.