Vdo 190-105 Cockpit Ammeter 2-1/16" on 2040-parts.com

Fiat Americanizes its 500, complete with cupholders

The Fiat 500 subcompact might be Italian through and through, but the U.S. version that arrives in dealerships late this year will cater to American tastes. The American car will have a more powerful engine than the European version, a slightly softer ride and--most important--more substantial, American-style cupholders.

Infiniti's design future: where next for Nissan's BMW

Infiniti’s design language, Dynamic Adeyaka, will be turned up on the next generation of the company’s cars, the brand's design chiefs have told CAR. And there are more concepts cars coming to showcase the styling direction, as Infiniti continues to persaude buyers from their BMWs. We won’t see anything at the 2010 Paris motor show (more details of the alliance with Daimler are expected to be the news there) but the 2010 LA, or 2011 Detroit or Geneva shows will host a new Infiniti concept car to follow on from the gorgeous Essence (pictured above with design director Shiro Nakamura).  We told you the other day about Infiniti's new electric car coming in 2012.

Treasures from West Germany lurk at Sonoma Raceway

In my role of Chief Justice of the 24 Hours of LeMons Supreme Court, I travel to Sonoma Raceway, aka Sears Point, at least twice per year. Most of the time I'm there, I'm stuck disciplining miscreant racers with incomprehensible penalties, but every so often I slip away in my Race Organizer Review car to shoot some action photos of the competitors. A good area for shooting LeMons cars is from the access road that runs parallel to the track between turn 10 and turn 11, and getting there takes me past an area of shops and garages… and I always spot some interesting cars parked there.