K&n Rubber Washer 81-0161 on 2040-parts.com

Rain doesn't dampen spirits at Orphan Car Show

With rain falling as the show cars arrived, organizers worried that moving the 15th-annual Ypsilanti Orphan Car Show from its original June weekend to late September wasn't going to work out after all. It was rescheduled last year after heavy rain in June and participants voted to make the change permanent. Fortunately, the rain blew over before the gates opened to spectators and Sunday turned out to be as nice a day as Saturday, when more than 30 entrants enjoyed a tour to view the extensive Nash collection that Ken and Mary Ann Havekost have accumulated in Monroe, Mich.

Toyota Hybrid-R Concept – a Yaris with 400bhp – teased for Frankfurt

The Toyota Hybrid-R Concept (pictured) is a 400bhp Yaris Hybrid heading for Frankfurt We’ve always believed that the best use for hybrid powertrains is to get extra performance without the penalty of increased fuel consumption. Toyota, on the other hand, have primarily used their impressive – if complicated and expensive – hybrid powertrains to yield improved economy and emissions from more prosaic cars like the Prius, Yaris and Auris. But now it looks like Toyota are ready to show us what hybrid technology can offer in the way of performance too, with a tease for what Toyota are calling the Hybrid-R Concept, which appears to be a Yaris with more than 400bhp on tap.

Toyota leaves F1

Toyota are quitting F1 It’s not exactly a huge surprise, but Toyota has announced today that they are leaving Formula One and will not be back in 2010 to take their place. With the announcement that Bridgestone are also quitting F1 after 2010, and the departure of Honda before the 2009 season started, there is going to be no Japanese involvement in F1. Which is rather sad for a nation that loves its cars.