Standard Motor Products Cv154 Choke Thermostat (carbureted) on 2040-parts.com

New NHTSA guidelines recommend vehicle systems disable text entry, videos while driving

Federal regulators, moving to curb distracted driving, issued final voluntary safety guidelines today that would disable certain in-vehicle functions such as manual texting, Web browsing and video phoning while driving. Automakers should do more to keep drivers' eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, U.S. auto regulators said as they released the latest guidelines meant to cut down on crashes caused by the use of electronic devices in cars.

MINI Vision Concept shines a light on the 2014 MINI Mk 3

The MINI Vision Concept (pictured) previews the arrival of the new MINI Mk 3 in 2014 We’ve had spy shots of the 2014 MINI Mk 3 running around the Interwebs for quite some time, to such an extent that MINI revealed their own ‘spy photo’ of the new MINI earlier this month. But now we get the real deal – or at least the concept version of the real deal – in the form of the MINI Vision Concept revealed by MINI in Munich yesterday. Much of the MINI Vision is covered in a layer of concept frippery, but looking through the toys and flights of fancy, we still get to see a lot of what thye Mk 3 MINI will offer.

VW Beetle Turbo, Jetta GLI get power increase

Volkswagen's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is getting a 10-hp boost; the engine is now rated at 210 hp while torque remains unchanged at 207 lb-ft. The engine will be available on the Volkswagen Beetle Turbo coupe and convertible and the Jetta GLI sport sedan. VW claims the new engine shaves 0.2 seconds off the Beetle Turbo's 0-60 mph time, which is now estimated at 6.6 seconds.