Datsun Roadster Door Hinge on 2040-parts.com

Volt, Leaf win top safety rating in crash test

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars won the highest safety ratings in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, putting them in the top 57 percent of models tested so far this year. About 80 of 140 vehicles tested among 2011-2012 models have received the Institute's "top safety pick," the group's award for state-of-the-art crash protection that exceeds federal safety rules, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. The Volt and Leaf received a "good" rating -- the highest of four rankings -- on each of four crash tests, said the Institute, which is funded by auto insurers including State Farm, All-State and Geico.

Brits bamboozled by bizarre rules

EUROPEAN driving laws are leaving Brits in a bit of a pickle, with many people completely unable to separate wacky truths from absurd fiction. To celebrate its new road trip competition, chocolate experts Cadbury dug up a selection of crazy driving laws across the continent and mixed them in with some entirely invented ones to create a quiz that caught many folks by surprise. For a start, 75% of people refused to believe that a dirty car is punishable by law in Belarus.

2012 Porsche Boxster unveiled

2012 Porsche Boxster revealed The 2012 Porsche Boxster has been revealed with a new lightweight body, revised chassis and engines – and looking much the same as the old Boxster. The 2012 Porsche Boxster (or, as always, if you’re on the other side of the Pond, the 2013 Porsche Boxster) has been revealed, not at the Detroit Auto Show, but, just as Audi did yesterday with the A6 Allroad, as a diversion from the car antics in North America. Looking, as you would expect from Porsche, little different to the current Boxster, the new Porsche Boxster does however get a thorough makeover of body, engines and chassis to make the new Boxster fit to fight for another decade (or so).