Torklift F2007 Front Frame Mounted Tie-down on 2040-parts.com

2014 Dodge Journey SE gets a V6 and all-wheel drive

Chrysler is upgrading the 2014 Dodge Journey SE by giving it all-wheel-drive capability and a V6 engine under the hood. The SE will start out at $25,890 including destination, which is $1,800 cheaper than the more highly equipped SXT model. Dodge's seven-passenger Journey comes with features like 17-inch wheels, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, seven airbags, 4.3-inch touchscreen, Keyless push-button start and power-heated mirrors.

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake on the way

Mercedes’ design boss Gordon Wagener has revealed to WhatCar that they are planning to go exactly the same route with the CLA as they did with the CLS, and create a coupe estate. The CLS Shooting Brake (pictured below) has been very well received, and with much of the world downsizing its cars a CLA Estate is a very sensible way to go, offering all the good design elements of the CLA – which already looks like a CLS on a boil wash – in a car that has more practicality. Wagener gave no idea of time scale for the CLA Shooting Brake, but with the first CLAs expected to hit customers in June it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a concept CLA Shooting Brake arrive by the time of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September before going on sale in 2014.

Hands-free car phones 'should be banned'

THE USE hands-free mobile phones while driving should be banned. This is the view of road safety charity Brake that says four in ten drivers (38%) admit to using hands-free phones in the car despite research that shows talking on a hands-free system is just as dangerous as using a hand-held mobile phone. Drivers who use a mobile phone while driving are four times more likely to be involved in a collision that causes serious or fatal injuries.