1998 Ford Crown Victoria Automatic Transmission 2046320 on 2040-parts.com

Car of the Year 2013 finalists announced: do you agree?

The contest for 2013 Car of the Year is hotting up, with the shortlist for Europe's most prestigious new car award announced. The final eight contenders are: Ford B-max Hyundai i30 Mercedes A-class Peugeot 208 Renault Clio Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86 Volkswagen Golf Volvo V40   This year, there are eight finalists instead of the usual seven, thanks to a dead heat between two contenders. According to the Car of the Year jury, the award's goal 'is to acclaim the most outstanding new car to go on sale in the [last] 12 months.' Not much fuel for enthusiasts in the 2013 CotY list...

Tesla opens its patents for everyone to share EV knowledge

By Michael Karkafiris Motor Industry 13 June 2014 10:43 Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors and one of the most talked-about personalities in the automotive industry, announced today that his company has opened all of its patents to make way for the competition to catch up and promote electric mobility for a wider audience. Open-sourcing your patents is a rather unusual strategy in the automotive world but Musk says that ‘Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property landmines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal.

Rolls-Royce Phantom app launches

No, the Rolls-Royce Phantom app doesn't call a chauffer to bring 'round the Rolls, nor does it summon the butler to fetch some Grey Poupon. The free app, available for the iPhone, the iPod Touch or the iPad's app store as of Thursday, allows Rolls-Royce coveters and clients alike to customize their own virtual version of luxury dynamo. Users can create individualized virtual versions of the car, applying any mix of trims and colors.