Suzuki Wagon R 2000 Door Lock Solenoids [1264550] on 2040-parts.com

BMW's quirky new i3

The side view of the new BMW i3 electric vehicle takes some getting used to, with no two windows the same size or shape. The i3 is high-waisted through the front door and then there's a notch for a taller rear-passenger window and the rear-hinged rear door and a narrow, tapering window at the rear quarter. Yet when you look at the underlying structure -- made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic -- an innovative choice for a mass-produced car -- there's a giant side opening from front to rear.

V6 dropped for redesigned Mazda 6 sedan

Mazda will drop the V6 engine from the Mazda 6 lineup, the company told Automotive News. Instead, the redesigned Mazda 6 will use powertrains from Mazda's Skyactiv technology bin, including direct-injection four-cylinder engines and ultra-efficient transmissions. “We believe that the balance of fuel economy and power that Skyactiv offers is what customers want,” a Mazda spokesman said.

First Fiat 500s will have stick shifts

The 2012 Fiat 500 , heading to U.S. dealerships later than first expected, is enduring another hiccup: The first units arriving in dealerships in late February will have manual transmissions, the company said. Moreover, only about 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships will be open when those first cars arrive, said Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand in North America, at the Detroit auto show last week.