Mcculloch Go Kart Racing Cylinder Head Mc9, Mc20, Lot #5 on 2040-parts.com

Ford aims to improve comfort for workers on its assembly lines

Ford Motor Co. is using a digital mannequin, customized to account for physical differences across regions, to determine how to make jobs less physically strenuous for its assembly-line workers. The digital worker avatar is based on Ford's virtual North American Jack and Jill workers.

Mazda MX-5 gets a spruce up

The Mazda MX-5 is one of our favourite fun cars. It evokes all the joy of the cracking little British Roadsters of the past, like Austin Healeys, Triumph TRs, Lotus Elans and even older Morgans and XK Jags. It does it by being simple, efficient and fun to drive.

Obama calls for shared sacrifice in auto bailout

President-elect Barack Obama says he wants to keep tough conditions on automakers that get federal loans. The companies must develop sustainable business models because it would be unacceptable "to keep them on their lifeline through taxpayer dollars in perpetuity," Obama told The Washington Post. Obama said industry restructuring will require "everybody, from labor to management to creditors to shareholders, giving something up." His comments contradict suggestions that the new administration will relax federal loan agreements reached last month with General Motors and Chrysler LLC, possibly with softer demands on the UAW.