Standard Ignition Ignition Control Module Lx-873 on 2040-parts.com

AutoWeek Design Forum: McLaren evolves with carbon fiber

McLaren Automotive design boss Frank Stephenson detailed his company's transformation from strictly racing to producing road-going models on Thursday at the AutoWeek Design Forum. McLaren is launching the highly anticipated MP4-12C this year, and the company has been hard at work refining the use of carbon fiber, which it pioneered in the iconic McLaren F1. The company cut the amount of time required to design a carbon-fiber tub from 3,000 hours for the F1 to a mere four hours for the MP4-12C.

Pagani Huayra pretends to be a Koenigsegg to get in to the U.S.

The first road-legal Huayra in the States – or is it a Koenigsegg?! Regular readers may remember we cast doubts on Pagani’s claim that the new Huayra would be US road legal back in 2011, when we revealed that Pagani’s plans to gain an exemption from fitting advanced airbags was denied. That meant Pagani had to go away and get the Huayra to conform with airbag regulations to make it legal to sell in the US, which Pagani promised to do and declared everything would be fine and they’d have the first road-legal Huayras Stateside by 2013.

Opel / Vauxhall Astra revealed

New Vauxhall / Opel Astra revealed ahead of a launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September The Astra has been with us for 30 years, and this is the sixth generation to hit the showrooms. And it looks to be the best yet (as you would hope), with a cohesive style and loads of design cues taken from Vauxhall’s Insignia. This new Astra is built on the same platform as the much heralded Vauxhall Ampera (the Electric Car that will be the salvation of GM – once the technology is sorted) and as such offers a bigger wheelbase (up by 71mm) on a 4.4 meter (14′ 4″) body, with a wider track, which should make the Astra a better drive.