Suzuki King Quad Lta750 Lta500 Lta450 Silver Rear Bumper 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 on 2040-parts.com

German brands off to strong start in 2011

Robust U.S. car sales this year are helping drive German automakers to significant gains. The Volkswagen division did especially well in April, with 28,542 vehicles sold--a 23 percent increase from the year before.

Insurance group lists its Top Safety Picks

After increasing its standards for 2011 models, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that 66 vehicles--more than double the 2010 total--rate as best in the industry at protecting passengers from front, side, rollover and rear crashes. Only 27 vehicles qualified last year after the group, funded by the insurance industry, required that vehicles pass a roof-strength test to earn a good rating, claiming that stronger roofs would reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury by 50 percent in a rollover accident. The most mentioned carmakers on the 2011 list are Hyundai/Kia and Volkswagen/Audi, both with nine vehicles to get the Top Safety Pick designation.

Tesla Model S sedan catches fire in owner's garage

Another Tesla Model S sedan has caught on fire. This time, however, the four-month-old electric vehicle didn't hit road debris; according to Business Insider, the car's owner returned from a drive and parked the car in the garage. Moments later, the smoke detector went off, indicating a fire.