Simplex 5th Wheel Lock Jaw 41009935, 9935 on 2040-parts.com

Toyota makes service plans standard

Toyota Motor Corp., aiming to restore customer trust after a recall crisis, is launching two new U.S. service plans that will come standard with Toyota and Scion brand vehicles. Called Toyota Care and Scion Service Boost, the plans will offer free factory scheduled maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first, the company said Wednesday.

503-hp Volkswagen GTI concept headed to Worthersee?

Volkswagen has issued a series of official design sketches hinting at the appearance of a radical open-top concept car to be unveiled at the Worthersee fan meet in Austria on May 29. Called the GTI Roadster, the new two-seater was originally conceived as a virtual three-dimensional image in a joint cooperation between Volkswagen and Sony for inclusion in the PlayStation “Gran Turismo” video game series. But with enthusiasm for the low-slung roadster running high among its design team, Volkswagen has decided to turn it into a full-size concept in homage to a long history of GTI models.

Renault/Lovegrove Studio Twin'Z concept

The Renault Twin'Z concept is a collaborative project with British designer Ross Lovegrove, filling the fifth stage in Laurens van den Acker's 'lifecycle' – Play. It's currently on display at the Milan Salone. Essentially previewing the all-new, rear-engined Twingo co-developed with Daimler, the Twin'Z takes this relatively humble city car and, thanks to the input of Lovegrove, it appears to have taken on an organic nature, which shouldn't be unexpected to those familiar with his work.