Porsche 911 944 '84-'89 Temperature Switch Genuine +warranty on 2040-parts.com

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).

2015 Mercedes C 63 AMG (& AMG S) Saloon & Estate revealed

The 2015 Mercedes-AMG C 63 blows in with up to 503bhp It’s nine months since the new Mercedes C-Class was revealed, and it’s a cracker. But if the regular C-Class leaves you feeling a bit underpowered you now have the option of the BMW M3-bashing 2015 Mercedes C 63 AMG for some real get up and go. Actually – with Mercedes moving AMG more front and centre – you now have the option of the Mercedes-AMG C 63, with the name change mirroring the nomenclature for the new Mercedes-AMG GT.

Drivers' 'huge petrol tax burden'

BRITISH DRIVERS are still facing a huge petrol and diesel tax burden despite three years of fuel duty freezes, according to the RAC Foundation. The UK has the highest rate of diesel tax in Europe while only Sweden imposes a higher petrol tax duty than the UK, the foundation said. Its figures showed that tax accounts for 59% of the price of diesel in the UK, with Sweden (56%) second and Italy (55%) third.