2004 04 Ford F150 Overhead Console Temperature Compass Onstar Display on 2040-parts.com

Redesigned Opel Astra revealed ahead of Frankfurt rollout

Opel, General Motors' financially embattled European subsidiary, has ripped the covers from its sixth-generation Astra ahead of the car's planned debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. The five-door hatchback traditionally is one of Europe's best-selling models and originally was expected to play an important role in the Saturn lineup in the United States. Under GM's pared-down lineup, the Astra's Delta 2 chassis is likely provide the underpinnings for a small Buick, initially in China, and then in the United States, depending on market conditions.

College Exhibition: Royal College of Art Show 2006

Fifteen final year students at London's Royal College of Art postgraduate Vehicle Design course have displayed their work in the second part of the internationally renowned annual graduation show. The show featured the work of students in Vehicle Design, Design Products, Industrial Design Engineering, Architecture and Interiors, Computer Related Design, Textiles, Animation, Communication Art and Design, Conservation and History of Design. For the 19th year Pilkington Automotive sponsored the RCA's Vehicle Design Awards.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport hits 268 mph

Bugatti is claiming a new production-car top-speed record with a combined two-run average of 267.9 mph (431.072 kph) with a new Veyron 16.4 Super Sport model, smashing the 253.76-mph record set by a standard Veyron 16.4 in 2005. It also betters the existing world-record mark of 256.23 mph (412.28 kph) established by Shelby SuperCars with its Ultimate Aero on a 12-mile stretch of road in Nevada in 2007. Confirming details of the attempt run under tight security at parent company Volkswagen's 13-mile Ehra-Lessien test track in late June, Bugatti says the new Super Sport set the record in the hands of its test driver, Pierre-Henri Raphanel, and under the auspices of officials from the Guinness Book of Records.