Volvo Penta Boat Throttle on 2040-parts.com

Cheap mods: Adventures In Aspect Ratios

Seven years ago, I bought a rough-looking-but-good-running 1992 Honda Civic DX hatchback, for use as a gas-sipping alternative to my daily-driver P71 Crown Victoria. These days, it's the car I drive when it snows in Denver, and it's a reliable all-around beater. The EG Civic (as the 1992-95 Civic hatchback was designated by the factory) has become a much-sought-after classic in recent years, sort of the '55 Chevy of the early 21st century, and there's such a vast array of factory and aftermarket performance hardware available that I haven't been able to resist the idea of doing some power and suspension upgrades.

VW reveals plug-in diesel hybrid concept, claims 261 mpg

Volkswagen has used a car show in the Middle East nation of Qatar to unveil a two-seat plug-in hybrid concept car that the automaker says will deliver 261 mpg. The VW XL1 uses a lithium-ion battery pack, an electric motor and a two-cylinder, 0.8-liter diesel engine for the powertrain. We're still digesting the press release, but here are some highlights: -- VW says the XL1 can travel about 22 miles on electricity from the battery pack.

New Mercedes B Class to spawn 7 Seat version

It looks like Mercedes are going to stretch the appeal of the new B Class by adding a new 7 seat option. Mercedes foray in to small hatchbacks has not exactly been an unmitigated success. The last generation A and B class were really just two sizes of the same car, neither of which had much driver appeal and were bought as runarounds by Mercedes buyers who wanted a car for ‘er indoors.