Wrenches Sonic 4141819 on 2040-parts.com

Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.

2011 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 gets power boost from the Raptor SVT

Ford is Raptorizing one of its top-flight F-150s for 2011, adding more power underhood to go with the loads of looks and leather that are the hallmarks of the Harley-Davidson edition. The 2011 model is fitted with the 6.2-liter V8--first offered in the Raptor SVT--that makes 411 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque while towing up to 9,300 pounds. That's a monster upgrade from the previous edition, which displaced 5.4 liters and made 320 hp and 390 lb-ft.

Hyundai Elantra Coupe

Hyundai is set to expand its Elantra range with the introduction of two new models, the GT hatchback – based on the European i30 – and the all-new Coupe, shown here. The Coupe continues Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language, this time applied to the Elantra's long and low proportions. At 4,539mm in length, 1,775mm wide, 1,435mm high and with a wheelbase of 2,700mm, the Coupe is 9mm longer and 216mm lower than the Elantra sedan.