2006-2009 Envoy/trailblazer Rear Window Control Switch on 2040-parts.com

Revealed: the popular city cars that FAIL a new crash test

It’s fair to say that drivers are pretty well protected in just about any new car on the market today. It’s rare for cars to get anything below the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests, and even the most basic of cars come with equipment like ABS and airbags as standard. But America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has devised a new test, which involves a “small overlap front crash” – similar to a head-on crash but only the front corner of a car collides with a solid object.

Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer estate (2010) unveiled

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 16 June 2010 00:01 Vauxhall has slid the covers off the new Astra Sports Tourer – a mini-me, shrunken Insignia estate for less money. The two share plenty of character and were both penned under GM Europe's design boss, Mark Adams.Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer: the lowdownThe new 2010 Astra estate puts the ultimate accent on cool looks over practicality, and its vital stats suggest it's a bit of a slouch in the sofa-shifting game. The 2685mm wheelbase is identical to the hatchback's, so the boot space stands at 500 litres, only 30 litres more than the hatch with the seats up.FlexFold (optional on lower models) lets you flop each 60:40 split rear seat down at the press of a button; stow all the rear seats flat and boot space soars to a more acceptable 1550 litres.

Tis the season

It's time to once again show the world your giving spirit. The annual Championship Auto Racing Auxiliary (CARA) auction of racing items—cool stuff gathered during the 2012 racing season—is underway. The CARA auction is run in association with Autoweek and can be found here, at autoweek.com.