1977 Plymouth Gran Fury Brochure-gran Fury Brougham on 2040-parts.com

Kentucky bourbon-powered car: Because gas isn't expensive enough

We're filing this one under “urban legends” until we get further confirmation, but a Kentucky man has reportedly built a homemade car that runs on bourbon whiskey. Why would 62-year-old Mickey Nilsson of Bardstown do such a thing? He allegedly was inspired by the movie Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang and by the hosts of the reality-TV show American Pickers.

Steve Earle out at Monterey Historics

Steve Earle, the founder of the famed Monterey Historics, is done as the organizer of the event after 36 races. Earle and track officials were unable to iron out a new deal, making this year's races--run last weekend--his final lap. The future of the must-attend event for classic racing fans is now in question.

News watch August 2010: today's industry news

Welcome to CAR Magazine's news aggregator as we round up the daily stories in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hourTuesday 31 August 2010• HSBC has sold its US car loan business to Spanish bank Santander, for an estimated £2.6bn in cash and assumed debt. The move sees the bank further distance itself from the collapsed US sub-prime market (Financial Times, subsription required) • Toll roads do not improve congestion, according to the Campaign For Better Transport. Its claims M6 toll road operator Midland Expressway Ltd is losing ‘tens of millions of pounds’ each year, while conditions on the original M6 have failed to improve (Campaign for Better Transport) Friday 27 August 2010• Spyker, which bought Saab earlier this year, has posted a €139m loss after tax in the first half of 2010 it announced today (Financial Times)• Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne says the business is performing strongly in the third quarter – and has ruled out selling Alfa Romeo.