Allstar Performance 10740 Smart Level Tray on 2040-parts.com

CES: Mercedes-Benz boss talks technology

Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche characteristically seemed to enjoy his status as a car guy amid the computer nerds at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. “I just came from Detroit yesterday, where some people consider consumer electronics to be a mere accessory to the car, and now I am here at CES where some people think the car is a mere accessory to the consumer electronics,” he said in a keynote speech on Tuesday at the event. Zetsche introduced mbrace2, the second generation of the Mercedes-Benz mbrace (pronounced “embrace”) system.

Redesigned Ford Focus expected to get 40 mpg highway

The redesigned 2012 Ford Focus will get an estimated 40 mpg in highway driving with an all-aluminum 2.0-liter engine mated to a six-speed, dual dry-clutch automatic transmission. The normally aspirated engine combines variable camshaft timing and high-pressure direct fuel injection to crank out 160 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque. That compares with 140 hp and 136 lb-ft from the aluminum 2.0-liter engine used in the current-generation Focus.

Electric wire eases closing of Corvette Stingray hatch

A single piece of wire makes closing the hatch on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray easier. Tucked behind the rear fascia, the alloy wire changes shape when an electric current heats it up. The wire returns to its previous shape when it cools.