1961-1966 Pontiac Gto Console Vacuum Gauge Grand Prix Bonneville Lemans 5653374 on 2040-parts.com

‘Crash avoidance’ systems rated for safety

The European car safety body Euro NCAP has confirmed it is currently testing a number of cars fitted with crash avoidance technology in an effort to judge the systems’ effectiveness. This news coincides with an announcement from the American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which has published the first results of its own version of the scheme. Euro NCAP and IIHS are cooperating to establish a standardised test formula.

Local Motors 'Design Our Car' competition opens

Local Motors has opened its first-ever ‘Design Our Car' competition, which encourages collaboration within the manufacturing community. The open-source automaker is providing two of its Rally Fighter cars, one of which will be built at the company's micro-factory in Arizona while the other will be built live in the Emerging Technology Center at September's International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago. Ideas from the design and engineering community are being sought to help design and select a skin for the Rally Fighter that will be built by the Local Motors team this spring.

Mazda prices 2012 Mazda 5 from $19,990

Mazda will sell its six-passenger 2012 Mazda5 van for a base price of $19,990, including shipping, when it goes on sale in January. The 2012 Mazda5, which Mazda calls a multi-activity vehicle, saw its North American debut at the Los Angeles auto show earlier this month. Mazda increased the base price by $730 compared to the 2010 Mazda5.