Vintage 1923 Classic Schrader Balloon Tire Gauge on 2040-parts.com

Euro NCAP: iQ, Avensis, Impreza, C3 Picasso, Lancer, 6

By Alex Michaelides Motor Industry 19 February 2009 12:40 It’s a good day for the safety of new Japanese cars as the first round of 2009-style Euro NCAP safety ratings are released. Of the six cars tested, full five-star marks were dished out to the Toyota Avensis and Toyota iQ, as well as the Mitsubishi Lancer and Mazda 6. Meanwhile, the Citroen C3 Picasso and Subaru Impreza were awarded four stars.

Volkswagen hits back, weighs making a bid for Porsche

Volkswagen is considering an audacious reverse-takeover bid for its majority shareholder, Porsche, in a twist in the drawn-out struggle for control between the two German carmakers. The Volkswagen Group's supervisory board is said to be weighing the possibility of purchasing Porsche AG, in a move that would relieve its holding company, Porsche SE, of massive debt that industry analysts suggest the company may not be able to fund should the world's financial crisis drag on well into 2010--a scenario put forward this week by the International Monetary Fund. The secret plan emerged as shareholders were set to convene at Volkswagen's annual meeting on Thursday, and it comes after Porsche revealed that it is carrying some 9 billion euros ($11.73 billion) in debt, most of it owing to interest on loans taken out to purchase its 50.8 percent stake in VW.

Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series (2012) first pictures

We’d be most surprised if you rejected the Mercedes SLS AMG for being too slow and too subtle, but if you crave a few racecar touches for your gullwing supercar then Mercedes will oblige with this: the SLS AMG Black Series. Like the ‘BS’ models that’ve gone before, the SLS Black employs a weight reduction, ramped-up power and better aerodynamics to give more extreme looks and performance. Read on for the full spec of a Mercedes with more power than a McLaren 12C Spider.