Veglia Water Temperature Gauge Dac 2217 on 2040-parts.com

Land Rover confirms end of Defender production

It's been all but a foregone conclusion for some time now, but Land Rover has confirmed to our sister publication Automotive News Europe that the aging Defender won't live to see 2020. Originally conceived as an agricultural machine, the first Land Rover prototype used scavenged Willys Jeep bits left over from World War II. American kids of a certain age may have been captivated by the Land Rover's mystique while watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom back in the '70s.

Infiniti recalls Q50 sedans over steer-by-wire system

Infiniti is recalling a number of its new 2014 Q50 sedans over a fault in its steer-by-wire system. The recall concerns Q50 sedans equipped with Direct Adaptive Steering that have received a software version which may disable the power steering software when the engine compartment reaches freezing temperatures. There's a mechanical backup system to prevent steering failure that kicks in via a clutch if the Direct Adaptive Steering were to fail, but the NHTSA notes that this backup may not engage in time if the Direct Adaptive Steering fails, increasing the chance of a crash.

Ford Escape/Kuga

When we spoke with J Mays about the Vertrek concept car at the 2011 NAIAS in Detroit, he told us "this is about 85 per-cent as the production car will look". On viewing these pictures of the new generation Ford Kuga/Escape, it's clear Ford's chief designer was true to his word. It's significant for being the first true product of the company's ‘One Ford' strategy, which harmonizes the American, European and Asian operations, developing singular products for the global market.