Original Borg Warner T10 Shift Arms on 2040-parts.com

Ford eyes dandelions as sustainable alternative to synthetic rubber

Ford, in conjunction with Ohio State University, is turning to the humble garden weed as sustainable resource, researching the dandelion's potential use as an alternative to synthetic rubber. While the automaker already makes considerable use of sustainable materials in its vehicles – such as soy foam seat cushions and straw-filled plastic for interior trim – this latest discovery opens up a wealth of new possibilities for automotive applications. According to research conducted by Ford, a milky-white substance that is found in certain dandelion roots can produce a sustainable rubber that could be used to create plastic parts for vehicle interiors.

Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer (2013) at Frankfurt motor show

The Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer is a more rugged crossover version of the regular Insignia Tourer estate that we saw in facelift form last month. We’ll find out how much extra you’ll pay for the Country Tourer when it’s shown off at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2013. We're expected a price tag of £31-32k, compared to £28.5k for a standard Tourer with the same engine.

Pagani Huayra on sale in the U.S.? We don’t think so.

Pagani Huayra - not bound for the USA any time soon When Horacio Pagani presented the Pagani Huayra to the world, the world let out a collective Gallic shrug. What was this generic supercar from the builder of the Zonda? Surely Pagani can’t seriously be offering the Huayra as a replacement for the Zonda?