Autometer Phantom Oil Temperature Gauge Model 5747 on 2040-parts.com

2013 Ford Escape can tow 3,500 pounds with EcoBoost engine

The 2013 Ford Escape, which we saw at the Detroit auto show in January, will have a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds when equipped with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, Ford said on Wednesday. That number easily bests four-cylinder-equipped competitors such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Kia Sportage and the Acura RDX. Ford says the new engine will make enough power to pull two jet skis down to the lake with a trailer, or to drag a snowmobile to the frozen tundra.

Car spending 'more than holidays'

NEARLY HALF of drivers in the UK spend more disposable income on their car than anything else, according to a survey. Spending on cars (47%) easily outweighs the amount spent on holidays (21%) and socialising with friends (13%), the poll from Halfords Autocentres showed. But the survey also found that 10% of drivers were cutting back on car maintenance to save money.

Fiat gets naughty, supposedly, with the 500 Cattiva special editions

Monterey car week is the perfect time for automakers to launch new concepts and debut special edition vehicles. But it's usually the big names in the luxury/performance world -- the heavy hitters, if you will -- that show up and show off. Cadillac unveiled the Ciel concept a few years back, BMW featured a Zagato roadster in 2012 and the Porsche 918 concept used Pebble as a stage for its first North American appearance.