Reese 15k Classic 5th Wheel on 2040-parts.com

Ford door protector takes the sting out of dings

Nothing ruins car joy like a door ding--whether it's the first blemish on your pride and joy or the latest door divot. Now, the engineers at Ford in Europe have developed a way to take the sting out of the parking lot--a retractable door-edge protector for the Ford Focus. It's no surprise that this comes from Europe, where roads are narrow and parking spaces are squeezed tight.

Webinars: Listen again to Autodesk 'Automotive visualization, new quality standards in Virtual Prototyping'

Autodesk presented its latest Webinar, 'Automotive visualization, new quality standards in Virtual Prototyping', on 11 April. Virtual Prototyping is one of the most important steps in the development of a new car allowing the evaluation of a prototype in different aspects before it's even built. Autodesk's new VRED product line can be used throughout the whole design and construction process on a single data basis, without the need to re-do work.

Carbon-fiber parts and a software fix help create a lighter, faster Fiat

Chrysler Group's Mopar parts brand and Italian supplier Magneti Marelli have teamed up on a design exercise based on the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth that shaved weight and added horsepower. The vehicle, called the Venom, has a number of carbon fiber components -- hood and side mirrors, for example -- that makes it about 200 pounds lighter than the 2,512-pound Abarth. The Venom uses software updates and additional exhaust components to boost the Abarth's standard 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged engine's output by as much as 25 percent.