4x4 Vinyl Decal Chevy Trucks on 2040-parts.com

Carmel kicks off concours craziness

Consider the Monterey car week begun! The Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours-on-the-Avenue launched with its best-ever crowd and what many were calling the best-ever show for the free-to-the-public event held every Tuesday before the Pebble Beach Concours on Ocean Avenue in Carmel. Eighteen blocks total were shut to traffic and jammed with collector cars, everything from classic 911s celebrating that car's 50th anniversary to Ferraris, Trans Am racers and a whole block of Shelby Cobras.

GM to double size of battery lab

General Motors says it will spend $8 million to double the size of its Global Battery Systems Lab, which the company claims is the largest and most technologically advanced automotive battery lab in the United States. GM says the expansion will speed up the development of hybrid and electric vehicles, such as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, by improving on-site testing of battery cells and systems. When finished, the lab will be 30,000 square feet bigger than it is now, for a 63,000-square-foot total.

New 2014 Mercedes S-Class order book opens – price from £62,650

The New Mercedes S-Class (pictured) costs from £62,650 The all new Mercedes S-Class was officially revealed last month, and went in to production last week, and now the order book opens for Mercedes new technological tour de force in the UK. At launch you’ll have a choice of three engine options – diesel, hybrid and V8 petrol – and a choice of standard wheelbase or long wheelbase (which adds £3,000) with the cheapest model being the S 350 BlueTEC. The S350 BlueTEC SE gets the 3.0 litre Mercedes diesel V6 with 255bhp and 146g/km emissions and the promise of 51.4mpg, with the AMG Line models getting the same engine but costing from £67,685.