Dorman/conduct-tite 85836 Instrument Cluster Lamp Socket on 2040-parts.com

Only the top is soft in new Audi A5/S5 cabriolet

Audi is bucking the trend among luxury automakers who are churning out hardtop convertibles, as the new A5/S5 cabriolets that will reach these shores in October will be the old-fashioned, soft-top design. While other manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Volvo, among others, offer folding hard-tops, Audi says the compromise necessary to make room for the top and all its mechanical apparatus makes a soft-top the right choice for a small to mid-size convertible. The soft top is well insulated; even during a steady rain during our first drive of the car, the cabin was relatively quiet.

Mercedes-Benz hooks up with Europcar for its courtesy cars

Mercedes partner with Europcar for courtesy cars Providing courtesy cars for customers is something of a pain for car makers. Customers expect a courtesy car when they come in for repair or service or after an accident, and that’s not easy to manage. So car makers partner with car hire firms to make the whole thing work and, usually, know they can put a customer in a courtesy car whenever it’s needed.

Buick Envision SUV concept

Another car that broke cover at Shanghai, was the Buick Envision SUV concept. The Envision is another car that slots into the coverted crossover niche, and was developed jointly by Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC). The Envision is said to merge Buick's global design language with Chinese aesthetics for the SUV segment.