Sierra International 68399p Tachometer on 2040-parts.com

Ken Block signs for Ford and the WRC

Ken Block – who became a YouTube sensation with his gymkhana stunt series ¬– has ended months of speculation by confirming he’ll compete in the 2010 World Rally Championship – switching his Subaru Impreza for a Ford Focus, while he'll also rally a Fiesta in the US. The Monster energy drink-backed deal will form a key part of Ford’s plan to market its hatches in America, and follows last year’s Pikes Peak Fiesta. It’s a tentative start for Block, who’ll be competing in select rounds of the WRC championship – Mexico is believed to be the first – to hone his skills.

BMW brings Art Car Exhibition to life

Since 1975 BMW has had a strong connection with renowned artists from around the world. The famous Art Car series has, to date, seen 17 cars transformed from generic racers into unique, moving canvases. For the first time, an extensive virtual tour documenting the history of the cars and their creators has been produced. Each car has an extensive back catalogue of images and a short film, which serve to show the variety of the ‘works of art on wheels'.

Washington auto show: Ford develops ‘intelligent cars'

There are plenty of smartphones, and now Ford is pitching the idea of “intelligent cars” that can communicate with each other to avoid accidents. Ford is investing heavily into the technology and will launch a fleet of prototypes this spring, the company said on Thursday at the Washington auto show. The idea is to use wireless signals on a secured channel to allow cars to communicate with each other.