Suzuki Gsxr600 Gsxr Gsx-r 600 750 08 09 Front Fender on 2040-parts.com

Approved mechanics essential for quality service

DRIVERS need to make sure their car is being properly serviced by a qualified mechanic, says the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). To help drives do this, it has launched a government-backed scheme called the Professional Register. While there are around 175,000 people in the UK who call themselves automotive technicians, the IMI says it can only recommend around 27,000 as having the required skills and competence to carry out work to the required standard in their specialism.

Off the line: Fun cars and social responsibility Autoweek op-ed stands the test of time

It's been almost 21 years to the day that Autoweek printed Matt DeLorenzo's column “Off the Line: There's room for fast, fun cars in diet of social responsibility.” And in those two decades plus, not much has changed except the vehicles themselves. For example, sports cars like the Bugatti Veyron and Pagani Huayra have astronomically high performance and safety levels; similarly, sport-utility vehicles that haul entire families (and most of their earthly possessions) achieve fuel economy similar to that of 1970s midsize sedans. To read all of DeLorenzo's thoughts and his case for automobiles, click the links to download the article.

Confirmed: Kia’s new GT super coupe

Back in 2011 Kia’s Frankfurt show car was the inspiring GT Concept. Now we can report, directly from Korea, that Kia management intends to bring that concept to a street near you in two years. Kia is on something of a roll, with a portfolio of good-looking models built under the design guidance of German Peter Schreyer, the guy behind the original Audi TT.