Wood Steering Wheel Amg Mercedes R107, W123, W124 on 2040-parts.com

Demise of kei cars on the horizon?

The kei car has long been a staple of the Japanese automobile industry and its car culture. Too diminutive for Western markets, the tiny cars and trucks are a strong influencer of design in Japan. Now, as The New York Times reports, the Japanese government has hit kei cars with increases in sales tax, gasoline prices and has reduced the kei car tax break introduced to make the cars popular in the first place by 50 percent.

E85 makes inroads on cost and availability

Three years ago, we embarked on a Midwest road trip in search of what was then the Holy Grail of fuel: E85. Our findings weren't too positive--there were far more E85-compatible vehicles on the road in 2006 (5 million) than there were E85 pumps to fuel them (about 700 out of some 200,000 fuel stations nationwide). In addition, those burning the mix of 15 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol were paying a pretty penny for their earth-friendly ways, losing about 15 percent in fuel economy while often paying the same price as regular unleaded.

Mercedes front row in China F1 Grand Prix – Rosberg on pole

Nico Rosberg is on pole position for the Shanghai Grand Prix Nico Rosberg is on pole position for Mercedes in the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai with team mate Michael Schumacher alongside. Not only has Nico Rosberg taken pole position at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, but he did it with one flying lap at the start of final qualifying to take his first F1 pole and Mercedes first since their return to F1 in 2010 after an absence of more than half a century. Rosberg beat second place man Hamilton by a full half second, but Hamilton has a five place penalty for a gearbox change so starts seventh.