2000 Rav4 Toyota Idle Speed Control/stabilizer on 2040-parts.com

Hyundai puts Michel Nandan in charge of WRC effort

Hyundai has appointed former Peugeot WRC technical director Michel Nandan to head up their assault on WRC. As Hyundai matures in to a credible mainstream force, improving brand perception is crucial to its long-term goals and 2012 is all about improving Hyundai’s brand experience and perceptions of the brand. A part of that focus is to take Hyundai back in to WRC rallying with a much modified i20, where Hyundai are hoping for a better experience than they had when they went rallying a decade ago – which should be a given considering the big strides Hyundai has made in its cars in the last few years.

Toyota Unveils new Prius at Detroit Auto Show: Bigger, with more power and less weight

Toyota introduced its third-generation Prius at the Detroit Auto Show with an extensively re-engineered hybrid drivetrain. Ninety percent of the Prius's hybrid synergy drive system has been redesigned, with the focus on weight reduction. The lighter components include the transaxle to cut down on torque loss, inverter with direct cooling and smaller motor.

Future products: From electrics to sedans, Audi prepares to enter new niches

Audi is planning to jump into several new segments. Next year it will add the coupe-styled A7 sedan to compete with the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Porsche Panamera sedans. The all-new Q3 small crossover goes into production next year in Europe but won't get to the United States until 2013.