Visteon Alternators/starters 8292 Alternator/generator-reman Alternator on 2040-parts.com

CAR tech: who's to blame for your car's terrible fuel economy?

In early 2013 Audi lost a case brought by the Advertising Standard Agency (ASA) because of ‘misleading’ fuel economy figures used in an advert, after a customer complained they couldn’t get anywhere near the 68mpg quoted. The court case once more exposes the yawning gap between officially sanctioned mpg figures and those experienced by owners. A recent study by the Independent Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) looked at cars sold in the UK and Europe, and discovered the difference between official mpg figures and real-world driving had grown from 8% in 2001 to a barely believable 21% in 2011.

Mercedes-Benz inaugurates Advanced Design Studio in Beijing, China

Mercedes-Benz inaugurated its global Advanced Design Center in Beijing, China, yesterday, Thursday July 21. The Beijing design center, Daimler's fifth advanced design studio worldwide, further reinforces the growing importance of the Chinese auto market and Beijing in particular; the city is increasingly influencing changing needs and trends. The new 1,000 square meter Advanced Design Studio employs a total of around 20 designers who will contribute to the future design of Mercedes-Benz automobiles, competing and working with the company's other studios in Germany, Italy, Japan and the USA.

McLaren P1 – Driven by Jay Leno at the Top Gear track (video)

Jat Leno (pictured) drives the McLaren P1 at the Top Gear track at Dunsfold We reported just a few days ago that the McLaren P1 has all but sold out, and one of those buyers is America’s petrolhead in chief, Jay Leno. Even though Jay isn’t short of a few bob, he’s not going to be the wealthiest buyer of a P1 (by far), but his celebrity status has conferred on him something most P1 buyers won’t get – the chance to take to the Top Gear track at Dunsofold in the new P1 with McLaren’s Chris Goodwin (Chief Test Driver) riding shotgun. Prior to the run round Dunsfold, Jay gets a tour of the new P1 production centre (perhaps the cleanest car production centre in the UK) before being whisked off to Dunsfold by helicopter.