1972 Nova Taillight Assembly 72 on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes shows the future of crash protection

By Mark Nichol Motor Industry 09 June 2009 10:00 It might look familiar, but the Mercedes ESF 2009 concept is about as futuristic as they come. Ostensibly an S400 Hybrid, the car showcases the very latest Mercedes safety technology, some of which will be in mainstream models soon, and some of which is, frankly, pure fantasy mollycoddling. The concept will be officially unveiled next week, but CAR has already been to the company’s Stuttgart base for a sneak preview.

Ferrari 458 Speciale A (that’s ‘A’ for Aperta) revealed

The Ferrari 458 Special A – revealed ahead of its Paris debut The Ferrari 458 Speciale A (the ‘A’ stands for Aperta – Italian for open) has been revealed this afternoon – ahead of its Paris Motor Show debut next week – as the most powerful open-top Ferrari ever, promising 0-62mph in just 3.0 seconds. Just 499 will be built. And if you want to invest money in a new Ferrari, the 458 Speciale A will be a good shout; with just 499 being built (just like LaFerrari) it’s almost certain these rare 458s will appreciate in the coming years – just like the 599 Aperta has (although there were even fewer of those).

Goodyear introduces new ComforTred Touring tire

Since its introduction in 2004, more than nine million Goodyear Assurance ComforTred all-season tires have hit roadways in OE applications and in the replacement market. Even after six years of being on the market, it continues to consistently account for more than a million sales annually. It would have been easy for Goodyear to let the ComforTred train keep rolling untouched, but it realized a new version was necessary due to the changing market and emergence of the touring car segment.