Auxiliary Outboard Motor Bracket Kicker Transom Mount on 2040-parts.com

NHTSA unveils new safety ratings; BMW and Hyundai first to get five stars

The 2011 BMW 5-series and the Hyundai Sonata were the first two cars to achieve five-star ratings under NHTSA's revised safety ratings announced on Tuesday. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will rate a total of 24 cars, 20 SUVs, nine pickups and two vans for the 2011 model year. The federal agency has significantly modified its rating process and will now grade side-pole testing and crash-prevention technologies such as lane-departure warning and electronic stability control.

Citroen DS3 Cabrio to get Top Gear Live UK debut

The drop top version of the DS3 – the Citroen DS3 Cabrio – is to get its UK debut at this year’s Top Gear Live shows. Just as Fiat has with the 500, Citroen has given the DS3 Cabrio a folding roof that keeps pillars and roof rails in place so the DS3 Cabrio looks just like the regular DS3 with the roof up, saving weight and costs and keeping the very good looks of the DS3 intact. The DS3 Cabrio is due to go on sale in early 2013 – just in time for first customer deliveries in the spring – but ahead of the UK arrival of the Cabrio you can see Citroen’s appealing drop top at this year’s Top Gear Live shows.

First Sight: Honda Civic - North America

 This is the new US market, 8th generation Honda Civic that follows on soon from the announcement of the 8th generation European Civic about to make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and the Civic Si Coupe concept shown at Chicago earlier this year. Although relating closely to its hatchback European sibling, the US market Civic is available as a four door sedan or two door coupe - underscoring the principal difference in market preference between Europe and America for this size of car. Specification The Si Coupe is available from launch with the 2.0 liter, 197bhp VTEC engine, whilst the sedan and standard coupe have a 1.8 liter, 140 bhp VTEC engine.