Hudson Pacemaker Gear Shift Knob 1940-1954 Vintage Rat Hot Rod Hornet Wasp on 2040-parts.com

Ram beefs up heavy-duty trucks for more towing

The Chrysler Group is upgrading its heavy-duty Ram pickups for the 2013 model to deliver what it says will be class-leading towing capacity. Diesel-powered versions also adopt selective catalytic reduction exhaust treatment to cut emissions and extend maintenance intervals. The automaker has also created a dedicated commercial vehicle team within the Ram brand to boost its business with fleet and work truck buyers.

Video: Chip Foose talks about, renders his first VW Golf

In order to promote the launch of the Golf R in the US, Volkswagen has created a series of videos featuring fans of the iconic Euro hatch for a new iPad app. Here Chip Foose, founder of Foose Design and presenter of hit TV show, Overhaulin', tells the story of his first VW Golf, a 1985 GTI. But the highlight of the video is watching Foose produce a marker rendering of the MkII GTI in his own distinct style, usually associated with the hotrod scene.

MINI: Meet the MINI Family Video

MINI sends us a 2011 family video Many moan that MINI has become a parody under BMW, but the truth is that it’s just become an enormous success with BMW doing what BL tried to do a generation ago – and failed. BL failed to grow and develop the Mini beyond the 1960s, although it had success in the ’60s with badge-engineered Minis (Riley Elf, Wolsely Hornet), Mini Coopers and Countrymans, and even a grown-up Mini – the Austin/Morris 1100. So BMW are really only carrying on what BL did in the ’60s, just in spades.