Inter Dynamics Refrigerant 12 on 2040-parts.com

Michelin Challenge Design 2007: The not so ugly truth about rising vehicle safety standards

Can cars be safe and beautiful at the same time? That may not have been the case a few decades ago when automakers were forced to hang those big, ugly so-called federal bumpers off the ends of their vehicles.  With vehicle safety standards on the rise around the globe are designers today feeling a little '70s deja vu when it comes to meeting the challenges of making cars safe as well as more fuel efficient? "(Back then) we said it was the end of automotive styling," says Patrick Le Quement, senior vice president for corporate design at Renault and one of the world's most influential automotive designers.

Richard Petty's second Spring Fling car show set for Memorial Day weekend

Richard “The King” Petty and Petty's Garage will hold its second-annual Spring Fling Car Show on May 26 at the shop in Randleman, N.C. The show is open to all makes and models and is sponsored by the Automotive Lift Institute. This event, which includes a cruise-in on Friday night, is free to the public.

Kia Rio

Another car set to be unveiled at Geneva is the Kia Rio. Debuting alongside the Picanto, the Rio's new look brings it inline with the rest of the Kia family. The B segment car has grown in all directions and sports a longer wheelbase, whilst sitting around 15mm lower than the existing model.