Sparco Seat Side Mounts Aluminum on 2040-parts.com

Pumped up Chevy previews new Lacetti

By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 07 September 2006 08:47 Chevrolet has issued this sneak preview of its forthcoming family hatch – disguised as a World Touring Car. Disregard the pram handle wing, snowplough undertray and steroidal wheelarch extensions, and you have the car to replace the current Lacetti in around 2008. The production model should use GM's next-generation Delta platform, which will also underpin the next Astra and a proposed Saab hot hatch.

GPS signals trump cellular in FCC battle

Bandwidth has become a precious commodity. Just ask any owner of a car that has an analog OnStar system that wound up being a useless brick when digital cellular signals were declared to be the only game in town. LightSquared, a company that grew out of the satellite-communications industry, is banking that the chunk of spectrum it holds the rights to will help smaller, regional competitors compete with the big wireless providers.

Alfa Romeo/IED Gloria [w/gallery]

The European Institute of Design (IED) in Turin will unveil its new Gloria concept, developed in collaboration with Alfa Romeo Style Center, at next month's Geneva motor show. These renders of the sports sedan concept, which is 4,200mm long, 1,920mm wide, 1,320mm high sitting on a wheelbase of 2,900mm, show a traditional Alfa grille that feeds into the hood's prominent V-shaped character lines. Two leather hood straps in front of the windshield are a nod to the brand's older models.