Ford 2bbl Carburetor D4te-ea F100 302 on 2040-parts.com

Cash for clunkers: Is it ready for prime time in America?

One proposed solution to prop up new-car sales in the United States involves paying bonuses to owners of older vehicles who send their cars to the scrapyard and buy new ones. Proponents say that not only does the auto industry benefit, but so does the environment, as emissions decrease and fuel economy typically improves in newer models. Critics, however, say that scrapping older vehicles hurts collectors by reducing the number of older models available and also hurts those least able to afford to buy newer vehicles by driving up the price of used cars.

Video: J Mays walks us around Ford EcoSport

Earlier this month, Ford unveiled its EcoSport compact SUV at the Delhi Auto Expo. The B-segment crossover is a key component in the brand's ‘One Ford' global strategy, underlined by the fact it was designed in Brazil under the direction of Joa Marcos De Oliveira Ramos. Here Ford's Group Vice President of Design and Chief Creative Officer, J Mays, talks us through the five design elements of the car.

Toyoda testimony: As automaker grew, safety suffered

Toyota Motor Corp. president Akio Toyoda plans to tell lawmakers on Wednesday that the company regrettably chased growth at the expense of safety in recent years, and he will announce steps to improve Toyota's handling of customer complaints. Toyoda's written testimony to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee says the automaker's priorities “became confused.” “We pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to develop our people and our organization,” Toyoda says.