02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Mini Cooper Starter Motor Conv Mt Exc. Cooper S 561135 on 2040-parts.com

One Lap of the Web: Aston Martin Works, 'Gran Turismo' movie and the Mercedes-Benz S-class build process

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- Along with the “Need for Speed” franchise, the “Gran Turismo” series may be the latest in line to make the leap to the big screen.

Infographic: How much clay do Ford’s design studios use each year?

Ford has offered an insight into its clay modeling processes with a series of videos and an infographic that charts the process involved in turning a designer's sketch into a full-size model. The infographic uses data taken from all of Ford's global design studios in 2012 to give an idea of how much clay is used in a year, plus how much paint and di-noc film is used to cover each model. Ford has also released a video that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the firm's clay modeling studio in Merkenich, Germany, including interviews with members of the modeling team.

New Mercedes SL (2012) caught on video

New Mercedes SL 2012 - out Near the Nurburgring We go eight months without a single story on the 2012 Mercedes SL and then two turn up at once. First Mercedes quietly drop the V12 engine from the SL (SL600 and SL63), and now we have video of the new SL on its way to, and on its way round, the Nurburgring. All of which may point towards a reveal earlier than we expected.