2003 Ford Escape Donnelley Rearview Mirror on 2040-parts.com

Ford dumps the CD player

CD Players in Ford Cars are no more I’m not old enough to remember when cars came with valve radios, but I am old enough to remember when many cars didn’t even get a radio. I’m also old enough to remember when the music source of choice in a car was the 8-track tape machine. And actually, for in-car use, 8-tracks were great.

Alfa Romeo 4C arrives stateside in New York

Not long after the last transport departed New York Harbor with a cargo of unsold 164s, an Alfa Romeo executive was probably quoted as saying, "we will return next year!" We have been eagerly anticipating the return of Alfa Romeo for the last 19 years, long enough for the last Milano to rust whence it came, every year the brand just another year away! Well, this year -- yes, this year, finally, no really -- the Alfa Romeo 4C heralds the brand's reintroduction to America -- just as it did last year, remember -- as early as this summer. You'll have to forgive us for such skepticism -- we've been burned by our desire to invoke Italian driving passion and all that, but it's also hurting the Fiat dealers who scrape by on a lack of product.

Renault Captur Crossover revealed

The production version of the Renault Captur Crossover has been revealed ahead of a debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Instead of a funky urban crossover that managed to out-Juke the Nissan Juke (which is the same car under the skin) we instead get a Renault Clio with some butch bits added and a raised ride height. Which is rather disappointing.