03-05 Yamaha Yzf R6 Stunt Handlebars on 2040-parts.com

Rockin' Supercar: The Rebirth, Short Life, and Death of a Shark-Fin-Equipped '85 Toyota Tercel Wagon

Sometimes a very ordinary car becomes something special, maybe even loved, but that's not always enough to keep it out of the jaws of the crusher. This is the story of a second-gen Toyota Tercel wagon (known in Japan as the Sprinter Carib) and its journey from auction to lumber-hauler to kid transportation to a Chinese steel factory. Around the turn of the century, while I was working at a doomed dot-com in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, I discovered that the city auctioned off all the unclaimed tow-away cars every week at nearby Pier 70.

Ford Escape/Kuga

When we spoke with J Mays about the Vertrek concept car at the 2011 NAIAS in Detroit, he told us "this is about 85 per-cent as the production car will look". On viewing these pictures of the new generation Ford Kuga/Escape, it's clear Ford's chief designer was true to his word. It's significant for being the first true product of the company's ‘One Ford' strategy, which harmonizes the American, European and Asian operations, developing singular products for the global market.

Peugeot 407 Coupe – new diesels

Peugeot has introduced two new diesel engines for its stylish 407 Coupe But it’s a decent car, and Peugeot has now made it more appealing with some updates for 2009 / 2010. The style changes are very minor – a bit of chrome trim and bigger door mirrors – and the 407 Coupe now gets  Bluetooth and hands-free as standard equipment on its Connect Navigation (RNEG). But the big news is the new diesel engines.