Pontiac Fiero Transmission on 2040-parts.com

Volt, Leaf win top safety rating in crash test

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars won the highest safety ratings in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, putting them in the top 57 percent of models tested so far this year. About 80 of 140 vehicles tested among 2011-2012 models have received the Institute's "top safety pick," the group's award for state-of-the-art crash protection that exceeds federal safety rules, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. The Volt and Leaf received a "good" rating -- the highest of four rankings -- on each of four crash tests, said the Institute, which is funded by auto insurers including State Farm, All-State and Geico.

Seat names its new Exeo flagship

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 23 June 2008 14:34 Seat's new Mondeo rival – due for a 2009 debut – will be called Exeo. Pronounced ‘ex-ay-oh’ (derived from the Latin exire, meaning ‘to go beyond’ and breaking away from Seat’s city-based nomenclature) the new saloon and estate will rely heavily on the underpinnings of the previous generation Audi A4. It will be the first time that the Spanish carmaker will have a model for Leon and Altea drivers looking for something larger and more aspirational.

New Altima, Fusion challenge Camry and Accord for sales dominance

The Nissan Altima and Ford Fusion have entered the thick of the midsize sedan sales chase -- long a battle mainly between the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord -- leaving the rest of the pack a few laps behind. The also-rans include the Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata. A lackluster design has hampered sales of the Malibu, and short supplies have held back the Sonata.