Fxr Racing Child Fresh Jacket 23 on 2040-parts.com

One Lap of the Web: Packards -- Ask the man who knows way too much about one

-- For some light Wednesday reading, here's more information than you ever wanted to know about Packard. It includes the horrible neoclassics that plagued the 1970s, and the 1995 revival of the Packard name that attempted to stick a shortened rendition of the famous Packard grille in front of a 440-hp V12, all wrapped in a shape that looked like a melted Twix, as shown above. Our august associate editor Graham Kozak owns a Packard, so he could have filled us in on the details.

2012 Volkswagen Passat priced at $20,765

The all-new 2012 Volkswagen Passat, looking to be a big player in the highly competitive midsize segment and the first car to be built at a new Chattanooga, Tenn., assembly plant, will come to market this fall with a base sticker price of $19,995, plus $770 destination charge. The 2012 Passat will be sold with three powertrains and a variety of equipment levels. “The 2012 Passat is a true Volkswagen, offering German engineering, class-leading standard features and superior fuel economy, all for a remarkable value,” said Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America.

Ken Block thrills Gymkhana fans in Austria

Ford action-motorsports star Ken Block says he was thrilled after more than 25,000 fans attended the first stop of his Gymkhana World Tour in Vienna, Austria, on July 17. The American Internet sensation--his Gymkhana series represents some of the most-viewed videos on YouTube--is combining his World Rally Championship campaign with his three-event tour, which will also make stops in Los Angeles and in Melbourne, Australia. "Ever since we filmed the first Gymkhana video, I have wanted to be able to bring this type of action to a place where people can watch it live, and Gymkhana World Tour does exactly that," Block said.