Edelbrock 4413 Valve Cover Breather Round on 2040-parts.com

All used up: Pre-owned sales rise as consumers seek new-car alternatives

Used-car sales took a leap upward in April, and the trend is expected to continue at least until midyear as pent-up demand for affordable pre-owned vehicles jacks up at least one segment of the car marketplace. Sales of new cars continued an unabated slide toward what analysts say is a 30-year low in the United States, but used-car sales showed strength as buyers unable to finance new cars shifted their sights to less expensive used models. As a result, retailers such as the large Penske Automotive Group reported that despite an overall decline in sales in the first three months of 2009, improving used-car sales kept them in the black.

VIDEO: Andrea Zagato and his 1957 Alfa Romeo 1900 SSZ

Our friends over at Petrolicious have gone and produced another beautiful video, this time focusing their lens on Andrea Zagato and one of his father’s creations, the 1957 Alfa Romeo 1900 SSZ. Shot both in Zagato’s Milanese facility and also on the road, Essential Beauty is a visually stunning and also insightful film into the philosophy of a company that, even though now in the hands of the third generation of family ownership, is unwavering in its ideology. If your Italian’s not quite up to scratch, head to YouTube and turn on the English subtitles.

Jeremy Clarkson loves BMW. Especially the 535d & BMW 1M Coupe

BMW 1M Coupe - the most fun car of 2011 Jeremy Clarkson hasn’t had the easiest of relationships with BMW. He hated the first BMW X3 (didn’t we all), he thinks anyone with a brain would buy a 5-Series and ignore the X5, the BMW SatNav is only good for directions to Poland and he thought only knobs drive a Beemer. But he has decided the knobs all drive Audi’s now and has declared the M3 the benchmark for all performance cars.