98 Ducati 900 Super Sport Left Tail Fairing L1 on 2040-parts.com

AW top-10 list: Best snow cars

With the biggest storm of the winter having battered the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, most enthusiasts have packed away the Pilotis, garaged the GTO, and hung up the helmet. But what most people don't realize is that winter brings almost as many opportunities for spirited driving as the warm months. With the right equipment (snow tires), and the right ride (anything all-wheel drive), a snowy dash can be just the thing to cure your winter blues.

News watch March 2010: today's auto industry news

Tuesday 30 March 2010• Mercedes has dismissed claims that its Maybach brand is for sale, after reports in the Chinese media claimed Chinese car company BYD was considering a bid for the upmarket offshoot. BYD has also denied the claims (Reuters)• Toyota president Akio Toyoda has promised his company will listen more carefully to customers and react faster in a bid to regain credibility after the Japanese car manufacturer was forced to recall millions of vehilces over safety fears (BBC)• The Obama administration is expected to unveil its finalised fuel economy and tailpipe emissions through to 2016 this week, to coincide with the opening of the 2010 New York auto show (Detroit News)  Monday 29 March 2010• Toyota has agreed to licence the hybrid technology in the Prius to Mazda, which will combine the electric system with its next-gen Sky engines. It’s part of Mazda’s plans to increase the average fuel economy of its vehicles by 30% by 2015 (compared to 2008 levels) and it hopes to have its first hybrid vehicle on sale in Japan by 2013 (Mazda)• Ford and Chinese car company Geely have signed a stock purchase agreement that will allow the latter to acquire 100% of Volvo (along with related assets including intellectual property rights).

Maybach coupe set for limited production

German-based engineering specialist Xenatec has announced plans for an exclusive new Maybach coupe to rival the Bentley Brooklands and the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. The new two-door, which will ride on the same underpinnings and draw power from the same engine as the Maybach 57S, is planned to be built in a limited run of 100 cars at the company’s workshop in Weinsberg, Germany, all with the blessing of Maybach parent company, Daimler. Daimler has carefully followed the car’s development and will supply built-up 57S chassis from its nearby Sindelfingen-based manufacturing headquarters.