Rst 501 Aviation Audio Panel on 2040-parts.com

Concours d'Elegance of America selects classes for 2012 event

The Concours d'Elegance of America has announced classes for its 2012 event in Plymouth, Mich., where more than 300 cars are expected to be on display. July is several months away, but here are some highlights you can look forward to through the impending winter: -- American classics from 1928 to 1934: While the Great Depression crippled automotive sales, it also motivated designers to work even harder to attract buyers' attention. Some beautifully crafted custom coaches sprung from this period.

First Sight: Skoda Octavia

The new Skoda Octavia was unveiled earlier this week in the Czech brand's museum at its home in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic. Car Design News was in attendance to check out the third generation of what the company calls ‘the heart of Skoda'. The new Octavia is the fourth model in the Volkswagen Group to be built on the new MQB (Modularer Querbaukasten) platform.

Bentley brings even faster Continental V8 S to Detroit

Bentley first showed the Continental V8 S at the Frankfurt Motor Show a few months ago, but the slightly more powerful V8 Continental makes its North American debut in Detroit. More horsepower is always welcome, and the handsome new grand tourer delivers precisely 21 more. While Bentley has been concentrating on W12-powered Speed models -- even suggesting that it might be an entertaining drive on a racetrack -- the V8 range has been bolstered by its own modest performance enhancements: 21 more horsepower and 15 more lb-ft of torque bring the 4.0-liter engine's figures up to 521 and 502, respectively.