4374 Autometer Nitrous Pressure Gauge on 2040-parts.com

2012 BMW 3-series: The new features that matter

Those who covet the BMW 3-series probably don't need a lot of reason to buy a new one--other than that there's a fresh model for 2012. But after a splashy reveal on Friday in Munich, Bimmerphiles and mainstream consumers alike have reason to consider the 2012 BMW 3-series for both practical and enthusiast-oriented pursuits. Here's why: The sixth-generation BMW 3-series is fitted with a host of the latest technologies both underhood and underskin, which make the 3-series more relevant for the times yet true to its heritage.

Nissan opens new design studio in Beijing

Delayed by the deadly earthquake that hit Japan earlier this year, Nissan Motor Co.'s new design center in Beijing finally received a proper opening this week, when global design chief Shiro Nakamura showed off the studio as a new source of ideas for Nissan and Infiniti. Nissan Design China, as the Beijing-based center is known, "is not a studio to just generate ideas for China," Nakamura said in an interview with Car Design News. It's equipped to handle designs of show cars and production cars for both Nissan and Infiniti brands, aimed at customers in China, as well as around the world.

Volvo’s self-parking car will park your Volvo for you

Volvo’s self-parking car will do parking for you It’s rapidly getting to the point where drivers will need to do little more than be in the car to ‘drive’ it, with technology taking away control of tasks like parking. But a new technology from Volvo means you don’t even need to be in the car to park it. Volvo has been working on an autonomous parking that uses Vehicle 2 Infrastructure technology – which is basically sensors built in to the road – where the sensors guide the car to a vacant space.