1949 Ford Mercury Lincoln Steering Pitman Idler Arm Silencer Kit on 2040-parts.com

‘Selfie’ drivers risking their lives

ONE IN 14 drivers admits taking a ‘selfie’ photo on their mobile phone while driving, despite official figures showing that one in ten (9%) of drivers have had an accident while using the phone at the wheel. Young drivers are the most likely to use their mobile phone to take a selfie, which is a picture of the phone user taken by themselves. A further one on 20 drivers also owns up to using a social media app on their smartphone while driving to send photos they have just taken friends.

Lexus GS 300h: Shanghai Motor Show

Offering much better economy than the GS 450h, it offers not only a viable alternative for private buyers looking for a bit of beautifully built Japanese luxury with lower running costs, but also makes the GS a much more appealing option for company car drivers – probably where most of the sales will be made. Lexus are aiming for Co2 emissions below 110g/km for the GS 300h (the IS 300h manages 99g/km) which will give headline economy around 60mpg – a third better than the GS 450h can manage. Power comes from the same hybrid drivetrain as the IS 300h, which means a 2.5 litre petrol mated to an electric motor and delivering 215bhp and o-62mph in around 8.5 seconds.

Shake-up at Tesla; a dozen UK orders

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 16 October 2008 11:22 Electric car start-up Tesla is restructuring its US operation and laying off around 100 staff, as the credit crunch continues to make life difficult for car companies big and small. It’s now on its fourth CEO in 12 months, as founder Elon Musk takes over from Ze’ev Drori. In an announcement on the chief exec’s blog, Tesla Motors said it would be ‘cash-flow positive’ within six to nine months – but only by increasing production and cutting operating costs.