1960's Pontiac Vacuum Gauge 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.

Car Design Awards China 2013 winners revealed

Six months of work by students in China prefaced the announcement of the winners of this year's Car Design Awards China, held at a glittering ceremony in Shanghai just prior to the opening of the Shanghai auto show. The judges were highly complimentary about the quality of entries and the rapid progress in design terms being seen in student work in China. Judges comments "Mature development and beautiful presentation, a most professional submission," was the comment about one of the leading entries.

Bloodhound SSC – 1000mph World Record plan

The Bloodhound SSC – aims to hit 1,000mph   The current world record stands at a relatively measly 763mph (measly certainly in comparison to the target set by the Bloodhound SSC Team) and the technical obstacles the Bloodhound team has had to overcome to get their record attempt on target have been substantial. The Bloodhound design has gone through ten evolutions in the last year and has now settled on a plan that has overcome initial obstacles. The first evolution of the Bloodhound saw the 200kg rocket sat above the EJ200 Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine, but that didn’t develop sufficient thrust.