08-16 Dodge Grand Caravan & Chrysler Town & Country Removable Roof Rack Mopar on 2040-parts.com

Designer Tom Matano part of start-up car company in Louisiana

A new auto company backed by Texas billionaire investor T. Boone Pickens and staffed by former Mazda design chief Tom Matano plans to build "environmentally friendly" vehicles in Louisiana. V-Vehicle Co., of San Diego, will bring about 1,400 workers to a Monroe plant that once belonged to General Motors, according to a statement Wednesday from the Louisiana Economic Development Web site.

Value-Added New Focus Keeps Asking Price In Check

WITH the launch of Ford’s new Focus just around the corner, the Blue Oval firm has announced that prices will start from £13,995 - the same as today’s Focus, with top Titanium and Titanium X versions costing £100 less than the outgoing equivalents. The new Focus range retains a six-series line-up of Studio (from £13,995), Style (£16,795), Zetec (£18,295), Zetec S (£20,045), Titanium (£19,795) and Titanium X (£21,795). According to Ford, the new Focus builds on its reputation for technology, which since 2011 has featured automated parallel parking, Active City Stop low-speed collision avoidance, Traffic Sign Recognition to monitor and record road signs and Blind Spot Information System, as optional equipment.

Hyundai U.S. fuel economy mess cleverly sorted

Hyundai and Kia’s misstated fuel economy figures in the U.S. could have been a PR disaster, but it looks like prompt action has limited any real damage. We moan constantly about ‘Official’ fuel economy figures (yes, we moan a lot).