1966 Ford Car Owners Manual (galaxy) on 2040-parts.com

Lotus's glimmer of hope: Proton stands by Hethel

After another painful year of sales for Lotus in the UK – down 58% on 2011 - Norfolk's beleagured sports car brand has kicked off the New Year with the grand unveiling of its new flagship Malaysian showroom, and the thumbs-up from senior Proton company suits that Lotus isn't on its last legs. The announcement comes in the same week Lotus’s sales figures were released for 2012. Showing a substantial 58% decrease in sales and selling just 137 vehicles, Lotus Cars was the worst performer in the UK with a woeful 0.01% share of the market.  Are Lotus's Malaysian owners sticking by the company?

Weird Chevrolet pickup roadster hot rod probably inspired the SSR

Here's a thought: If you've ever wanted to be buried in what you're driving, it's a boon if your car is already shaped like a coffin. Behold this "cute little roadster," which resembles the unholy union of a Ford T-Bucket and a mechanical pencil lead dispenser and probably will make its way into a Jimmy Buffet video. (Click here if the ad goes down or if one of the Autoweek editors snaps it up first.) A 1972 Chevrolet pickup truck is scattered in there, somewhere after the bowtie-shaped everything.

Bentley teases new model: hear the new V8 in action

This audio file gives our first sound of a forthcoming new addition to the Bentley Continental family. Although Bentley isn't saying what it is at this stage, it's pretty obviously the new V8 model which will stretch the Conti family downwards from its W12-only position today. Bentley has codeveloped the new V8 with Audi.