Good oil: Scratch-proof paint

Nissan has developed a clear paint that helps prevent scratches on car surfaces, such as from car-washing machines, off-road driving and fingernails. The Scratch Guard Coat contains an elastic resin that protects the inner layers of a car's painted surface. A scratched surface will return to its original state within seven days, depending on temperature and the depth of the scratch, and is effective for about three years.

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Jaguar has picked up a British engineering prize for the pedestrian-friendly bonnet in its new XK sports car. The aluminium bonnet pops up a few centimetres to help "cushion" a pedestrian from hard points in the engine compartment. Sensors in the bumper help discriminate between a pedestrian collision and other front-end collisions.

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Ford will pull Jaguar and Land Rover advertising from 17 different gay and lesbian publications in the United States. It insists this is a purely business decision, but it also could resolve a threatened boycott of Ford by the ultra-conservative lobby group, the American Family Association. Detroit carmakers have traditionally been reluctant to associate with controversy.

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Michelin is taking on tyremakers and distributors who sell counterfeit truck tyres. The French company has filed two lawsuits in Europe claiming patent infringement, and will take legal action against manufacturers and distributors who sell tyres imitating their brand.

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Silver remains the most popular colour for car buyers around the world, accounting for nearly one in four vehicles sold during the last year. The latest survey by DuPont Automotive Systems shows white, gray, blue, and black round out the Top Five list.

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Car salesman Philip Vandergraff, 35, was arrested for assault after an incident at a Ford dealership in California. Customer Jeff Walston says the two were haggling over the price of a car. When Walston offered $5000 less than Vandergraff's price, the salesman punched him.