03-06 Mercedes Benz W220 S-class Clear Projector Headlights Lights Left+right on 2040-parts.com

One Lap of the Web: Mock the Week Edition

-- Mazda Europe designer Peter Birthwhistle talks about the future of Mazda: potential hybrid and electric powertrains for the Skyactiv-obsessed company, and how we'll all be driving Mazda-branded pods in the 22nd century. But he also mentions, rather interestingly, how certain Mazdas capture a quintessentially long-hood, RWD look -- and not just the Miata, either, which is RWD. No, it's the exhaust systems on those Skyactiv engines that force a longer, larger hood compartment, and the "long, flowing looks" not usually found on FWD engines.

Nissan’s black cab: what will London’s new taxi be like to ride in?

Nissan Around 300,000 people use black cabs in London every day, and by the end of 2014, they’ll be faced with a new alternative in the form of Nissan’s NV200 London Taxi, unveiled today. See Nissan's new London taxi The Japanese manufacturer has done its best to make the NV200 echo the carbon-dateable TX4 (which owes much of its styling to the 1958 Austin FX4), but let’s be honest – the new Nissan looks like a van. No coincidence there – it is based on the NV200 commercial vehicle.

Listen: Upcoming Ford Focus ST to employ sound symposer

While BMW employs a digitally sanitized/perfected sound file to give M5 owners the proper sense of aggro urgency when motoring at pace, Porsche went a little more organic with its employment of a sound symposer to feed the 911's flat-six growl into the cabin of the extra-refined 991. Essentially, the sound symposer is an electrically controlled diaphragm in a tuned sound tube that brings the proper engine noises into the passenger compartment. It can be opened and closed by the car's onboard electronics to offer snarl when you want it and serenity when you don't.