#735 1998 Honda Cr 500 Rear Rim & Paddle Tire on 2040-parts.com

New Opel/Vauxhall Astra saloon revealed – but not for the UK

The new Astra with a boot has been revealed but it’s not heading for the UK. It will, however, be offered in Germany and Spain. The hatchback has taken over the car world in recent years when it comes to family cars (although we could see the crossover / compact SUV supplant it before long), which has meant the demise of the traditional saloon, certainly in the UK market.

UK car manufacturing hits six-year high in 2013

UK car manufacturing hits six-year high in 2013 The car market in Europe may have been a painful place in 2013, but that hasn’t stopped UK car manufacturing continuing to grow, with 2013 delivering a total of 1,509,762 cars – the highest total since 2007 and up 3.1 per cent on 2012. That impressive total is made up from a wide variety of car manufacturers, from the volume producers like Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota and MINI to smaller sales volume from supercar makers Aston Martin. In fact the rate of growth and investment is so strong – moire than £2.5 billion in investment announcements in 2013 – that the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) are reporting that analysts believe the UK’s car manufacturing could break all-time records in the next four years.

Ram heavy-duty pickup gets higher towing rating

Ram has fired the latest salvo in the ongoing pickup war between the domestic automakers, releasing what the brand claims is now best-in-class towing capacity for its 2013 heavy-duty pickups. The 2013 Ram 3500 is rated to tow a 30,000-pound trailer, up from a maximum towing capacity of 22,750 pounds for the same vehicle and powertrain setup in 2012. According to their respective Web sites, similarly equipped heavy-duty 3500 pickups from General Motors are rated at a towing capacity of 23,100 pounds, while Ford's F-350 similarly equipped is rated at 22,800 pounds.