Acerbis 2142070005 Acerbis X-seats Yel Suz Rmz450 '08-09 on 2040-parts.com

Daimler and BYD name new brand Denza

Mercedes-Benz sources in Germany have confirmed Chinese media reports suggesting that parent company Daimler and Chinese carmaker BYD's new joint venture brand will be called Denza. Created as a Chinese-market-only brand, Denza is planned to support a range of "affordable" electric-powered vehicles, the first of which is set to be unveiled at the Beijing motor show next month. Based on the underpinnings of the first-generation Mercedes-Benz B-class--a car originally designed to accept batteries within its flat floor structure--the first Denza model was developed in China by a team of engineers from both Daimler and BYD Auto.

Awesome Astons! DB9 enhanced for 2011, pricing details revealed

Messing with near-perfection can be a dangerous proposition, so Aston Martin used a light but deft touch to refashion the DB9 for 2011. The British sports-car maker updated the car with subtle styling and underskin improvements. The DB9 goes on sale in the United States this summer with a starting price of $188,965 for the coupe and $202,465 for the open-air Volante.

Bungling thief caught after stealing hire car's steering wheel

A DIM-WITTED criminal has been convicted of theft after stealing parts of a brand new Audi A3 hire car and replacing them with old bits taken from his much older Audi S3. Alexander Keating, a 23-year-old former bodyshop technician who lost his job following the conviction, stole parts as obvious as the steering wheel and gear knob from the A3 that his mum had hired after damaging her car in an accident. Keating foolishly believed no one would notice the battered old steering wheel on the otherwise shiny, new car, but sure enough the mismatched parts were spotted and the hapless bungler was caught by the car hire firm’s bespoke anti-fraud team Asset Protection Unit (APU).