Acdelco 347u Secondary Ignition 12192005 on 2040-parts.com

Policy, green cars take center stage at Washington auto show

Public policy and the ultimate impact it has on consumers' cars was the hot topic on Thursday at the Washington auto show, as companies vied to show off and explain their latest fuel-efficient technologies under the watchful eyes of regulators and government officials. Notably, Chevrolet announced plans to roll out an "Ecologic" environmental label on the 2012 Sonic, with other vehicles to follow. Sort of like nutrition labels for food, Chevy's version will explain the environmental impact of cars throughout their life cycles.

Call to pass on petrol price cuts

THE AA has joined calls for retailers to pass on a fall in the wholesale price of petrol to motorists. Pump prices have "barely budged" from the late summer high of just over 138p a litre despite a 2p-a-litre fall in the wholesale price of petrol a fortnight ago and a further 3p drop last week, according to the latest AA Fuel Price Report. Petrol averaged 132p at the start of the year, "and this is where it should be heading if the wholesale price collapse persists", the report said.

Spied: The 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle looks a bit squished

Volkswagen's upcoming onslaught of new products includes a redesign for the New Beetle. The new New Beetle is expected to arrive in 2011 as a 2012 model, with a convertible version set to arrive a year after the coupe. Recent spy photographs of a prototype being tested on public roads in Europe show that the 2012 New Beetle has a roofline that has less arch than the current model.