Toyota Tacoma Bed Cleats on 2040-parts.com

Subaru XV concept preview

The XV crossover os another new car from Subaru, this time set to debut at Shanghai auto show. As with the all-new Impreza, Subaru is being tight lipped on details of the car. However, from what little information is available, it appears that the XV is a small 'lifestyle' crossover, in the ilk of the Ford Kuga.

Toyota's quake-hit Yaris plant offline for at least another month

Toyota's quake-hammered Miyagi assembly plant, which makes the Yaris small car for export to the United States, is expected to be offline for at least another month. Workers have completed repairs at the factory and restored electricity, but the facility cannot get supplies of natural gas, a person familiar with the situation said. The assessment underscores the long road facing Toyota and other Japanese automakers in bringing plants back into full operation following the deadly quake, which killed more than 11,000 people, ruptured gas lines, shutdown electric grids and snarled logistics across half the country.

BMW Individual program extends to 4-series Coupe and Convertible

Not that long ago BMW Individual was a little-known client program that offered unique materials and equipment to customer specification. While this may sound like a secret menu with an expanded list of interior options, in reality BMW Individual offered just about anything that buyers of Bentley or Rolls-Royce cars could specify. In the 1990s, for example, BMW Individual was the division responsible for completing the interior and exteriors of clients' L7 limousines, customizing such things as the options on the rear center console, fitting blue strobe packages and communications equipment, and creating interiors per customer specifications.