Wilwood Gator Compound Brake Pads Wilwood/gm D52 Caliper Set Of 4 P/n 150-2475k on 2040-parts.com

Former Ford exec Theodore shows off lighter chassis at SAE

Automakers are facing tougher government regulations for fuel economy, and one former Ford and Chrysler executive says he has a solution Chris Theodore, best known for his work on the Ford GT and Dodge Viper, has designed a vehicle chassis that he says will provide automakers with weight savings, cut manufacturing costs and make electric vehicles more economically viable. Theodore is showcasing his proof-of-concept Uni-Chassis at the SAE World Congress this week. It uses the powertrain and suspension of the GT, under an agreement with Ford.

Build your Mini Cooper Hardtop

We suspect that your initial inclination upon the discovery of a new model's configurator is to throw gobs and gobs of equipment at a car to see just how high the price will go. After all, that's what we tend to do. It's especially satisfying with German automakers — notably Porsche and BMW — who seem to have turned option pricing into something bordering on absurdist theatre.

U.S. car sales surge 19 percent in May

All major automakers except Toyota reported double-digit U.S. sales gains in May, as the light-vehicle sales rate hit its highest level since December. Sales rose 19 percent from May 2009, marking the eighth-straight monthly increase, the longest such streak since June 2000, according to Bloomberg Data.