Saab 9-3 Air Bag Sensor on 2040-parts.com

Infiniti Steer-by-Wire on the way (video)

Nissan has revealed that it plans to install an electronic steer-by-wire system in to its Infiniti models in 2013. As car makers seek to squeeze every last fraction of a mile out of their cars to hit economy and emissions targets, computer control of many of a car’s functions are controlled by computer, which means the official tests for economy and emissions can be guaranteed to produce predictable results. Now Nissan are to take electronic steering to its logical conclusion by eliminating any direct connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels (except in an emergency) with the first fly-by-wire steering system in a production car.

Brazilian students develop soapbox racers for Volkswagen

Brazilian design students have competed for year-long internships at Volkswagen's Brazilian design studio by designing – and racing – soapbox cars. Established 15 years ago by Volkswagen South America design director Luiz Veiga, the Volkswagen Design Talent Contest refreshed its format for 2013 by challenging students to develop a prototype for a gravity-powered soapbox racer instead of asking for sketch and render-based proposals. According to Veiga, Volkswagen was looking for someone "capable of working away from the desk and able to create design solutions, assess and build them".

Revealed: tech secrets of new 2014 BMW M3 and M4 Coupe

BMW has spent the past four years developing the new M4 Coupe and newly-announced M3 saloon from scratch – all with the intention of making its road-racer range more focused, more able and more relevant to modern motorists. They are faster, sharper and more dynamic, promises the firm, but also greener, smarter and more flexible than ever. The result, believe the engines, is a duo that’s without rival on the market – no other four-seat coupe or five-seat saloon offers this much high performance sports car ability for the money.