Honda Timing Belt on 2040-parts.com

Automakers trail in the great gizmo race

A customer at Rockland Toyota in suburban New York recently asked why he couldn't recharge his cell phone through the USB port built into the otherwise sophisticated Toyota Venza crossover. Evan Kuperman, the dealership's assistant general manager, took a deep breath. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

From Hooniverse: Spintires is a Soviet trucker video game

If you’ve ever spent an entire workday watching YouTube clips of Soviet-era logging trucks traversing the wilds of Siberia (who hasn’t?), then you’ve no doubt spent even more time cruising Russian classifieds for vehicles with three-letter names ending in AZ. Now, you may not have to import an eight-wheeled Russian monster truck to get an idea of what it might be like to run roughshod over some pristine forest. As our friends at Hooniverse report -- in great detail -- there’s a Kickstarter on and it’s aimed at bringing Spintires into reality.

Concept Car of the Week: Mazda Ibuki (2003)

With the Ibuki, Mazda designers synthesized the most successful of the first generation MX-5's iconic elements and evolved their forms to make them even more memorable and simple. To do so, they used a strong geometric theme throughout the car inside and out: LED headlamps; front air intake; tail lamps; rear view mirrors; release handles and interior details down to the pedals – every shape follow the same oval theme. Zooming out, the silhouette – as well as the top view – is also oval, making the Ibuki look more like a toy than a car, which is a real bonus for a small roadster.