Concept Car of the Week: Italdesign Machimoto (1986)

The Machimoto might look and sound like a Japanese concept, but it was developed in Europe in the Turin-based Italdesign studio, and was based on a Volkswagen Golf GTI platform. The name actually derives from MACHIna (car in Italian) and MOTOciclo (motorcycle) as the perfect hybrid between the worlds of two- and four-wheelers. Unveiled on its home turf at the Turin motor show in 1986, it landed like a UFO, shocking both the public and the press.

Ford site weighs F-150 against rivals

Ford has launched a comparison Web site for the F-150 pickup that illustrates how its truck stacks up against the competition--packed with video footage, testimonials and data. On the site, you can choose to dive into "torture test" footage of the F-150, or you can opt to complete the head-to-head pickup comparison test to find the F-150 engine that best suits your needs, and how it compares with rival trucks. First, visitors are prompted to select whether the engine will be used for work or play, how much weight it will be required to haul (up to 2,860 pounds) and how many pounds it will need to tow (up to 11,300).

Goodwood Festival of Speed: McLaren MP4-12C debut

The McLaren MP4-12C - on the McLaren stand at the Festival of Speed I know, you probably already know that McLaren are going to give the MP4-12C its first public outing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year. In fact you definitely know that if you read here regularly. But it does no harm to remind you, especially as the Festival of Speed kicks off on Friday.