1949 1950 Plymouth Original Speedometer Console on 2040-parts.com

Degler's 2015 calendar pays tribute to Cuba's unique automotive landscape

The 2014 Degler calendar mounted on the wall of the Car Design News office serves up a nicely-shot image of one of Bertone's significant concepts each month. But next year's calendar has taken an altogether different direction: 'Carros de Cuba - a tribute to the cars that have survived over half a century on the island thanks to the inventiveness of the Cuban people.' The Degler calender is the work of automotive photographer Piotr Degler Jablonski. For the 2015 edition, he spent a month traveling across the island of Cuba, meeting mechanics and car enthusiasts and documenting the eye-catching automotive landscape.

Start up mobility van maker VPG shuts down

Van maker Vehicle Production Group -- recipient of a $50 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy -- has suspended operations and is in the process of being sold, its former CEO said Wednesday. The Allen Park, Mich., company, which made MV-1 vans for the disabled, terminated about 100 workers and closed its offices in February.

Ariel Atom 700 is a turbo-supercharged 700-hp track weapon

If you're willing to ditch sleek supercar looks and just about every automotive creature comfort in the pursuit of pure performance, you might consider the Ariel Atom 3. Powered by a 2.4-liter Honda I4 engine cradled in an exoskeletonlike frame, the Atom 3 boasts a 0-to-60-mph time of just 2.9 seconds But maybe those performance numbers just aren't enough for you. If so, Piedmont, S.C.-based DDMWorks might have a solution.