Gates Corporation 42093 on 2040-parts.com

Audi at 100: German carmaker celebrates a century of technology, speed and luxury

Audi traces its roots to the dawn of the auto industry, and today, the iconic company known by four intertwined rings celebrates its 100th anniversary. From humble beginnings to its lofty status as an international powerhouse, Audi has been at the forefront of technological development and crafting luxury. Along the way, it's gone by different names--including Auto Union AG--survived two world wars and forged entry into crucial new markets such as the United States.

BMW 1 Series dead in US after 2013

With its successor set to bow at the Detroit Auto Show in a couple of months' time, word's come down from BMW that 2013 will indeed be the end of the line for the BMW 1 Series — at least in the US. It will remain available elsewhere in the world as a three-door and five-door hatch. The coupe and convertible, meanwhile, are being replaced by the 2 Series, in convention with BMW's new naming scheme.

Highway Code braking distances questioned

THE ACCURACY of facts and figures in the Highway Code has been called into question after research by the RAC showed that many drivers underestimate official stopping distances. As part of the organisation's Report on Motoring 2014, drivers were asked to identify the Highway Code's stated stopping distances from different speeds, but the majority “seriously underestimated” the figures. However, a separate survey by Right Driver of 1,000 Advanced Driving Instructors (ADIs) revealed that the vast majority strongly believe that the official braking distances have become irrelevant and should be updated.