10" Green Metallic Sticker Pinstripe 105781-04-02a on 2040-parts.com

Concept Car of the Week: Chevrolet Astro (1967)

It gave its name to a boxy van in the 80s, but the Chevrolet Astro I was one of the most exciting dream cars developed within the GM styling studio. Presented in New York Auto Show in 1967, it was the first of three Astro concepts shown in annual succession and illustrates GM's desire to develop models that were both aerodynamic and attractive. What we might take for granted in aerodynamics nowadays was almost untouched territory in the mid ‘60s.

Nissan developing the self-cleaning car

Motorists may never need to wash their cars again, as Nissan is helping to develop paint that repels mud, rain and dirt. The technology, which Nissan tells us is “super-hyrophobic and oleophobic”, creates a protective layer of air between the paint and the environment, preventing dirt sticking to the car. Nissan Nissan Note already uses self-cleaning technology Called Ultra-Ever Dry, the tech is currently being tested on the Nissan Note, which already features a ‘wash and blow dry’ function on its rear view camera.

Merc-powered Corvette ZR-1 featured at Mercury Marine Museum

Chevy's LT5 engine was one of the most celebrated in Corvette history. In 1988 it generated 375 hp under the hood of the then-new ZR-1 from 5.7-liters of displacement. It wouldn't have been possible without Mercury Marine.