1957 Buick Gas Lid Bumpers on 2040-parts.com

Chrysler eight-speed gearbox to boost big sedans' fuel economy

Chrysler Group says its new eight-speed automatic transmission will be the first offered on domestically produced automobiles and will boost fuel economy and cut emissions of the company's two full-sized, rear-drive sedans. The transmission initially will be available on 2012 Chrysler 300s and Dodge Chargers powered by Chrysler's 292-hp Pentastar V6 engine, the automaker said Thursday in a statement. The cars are being assembled and will start arriving in dealerships by Oct.

At GM, the tail fin is back--but now it's a blade

Tail fins are making a comeback at General Motors Co., although they are a far cry from the saillike appendages of the 1950s. And this time the company is calling them blades. The look, pioneered on the Chevrolet Volt to improve aerodynamics, will appear on other models to boost fuel economy, said Ed Welburn, GM's global design chief.

Renault Captur Signature is a Captur with all the bells and whistles

Renault Captur Signature is a Captur with all the bells and whistles It’s more than a year since the Renault Captur compact SUV arrived in the UK to tap in to the urban compact SUV market, and with prices starting from £12,495 it offers the high-riding, butch-looking style so many buyers are looking for. But it’s the specced-up models that help car makers’ bottom-lines the most, so we now get the Renault Captur Signature trim to top out the range and throw most of the Captur’s bells and whistles in to the mix as standard. That means an exterior makeover with 17″ alloys, two-tone paint and plenty of chrome and an interior that gets part leather trim, splashes of red detailing, Signature sill plates and mats.