13 Honda Odyssey Dr Handle, Exterior 560728 on 2040-parts.com

Chevrolet to build 100 millionth Small Block engine

The 100 millionth copy of the Chevrolet Small Block engine will roll off the production line before the end of the year--a major milestone for the brand. The Chevy Small Block V8 was first introduced in 1955, laying the foundation for decades of vehicle performance and sustaining a competitive name for Chevy in the market. "The introduction of the Small Block changed everything," General Motors vice president Jim Campbell said.

BMW 640d xDrive announced

On Thursday, Greg Kable waxed effusively about the new BMW M550d xDrive coupe, suggesting that it was the ultimate 5-series for everyday use. On Friday, Munich announced that the 5's two-door sibling will receive an AWD diesel variant: the 640d xDrive. While not quite as high-zoot as the 5-series' top oil burner, the 640d's 3.0-liter, twin-turbo straight-six cranks out a respectable 465 lb-ft of almighty torque between 1,500 rpm and 2,500 rpm, plus 313 hp at 4,400 rpm—numbers that, according to BMW, will carry the 6-series to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds.

One Lap of the Web: World's strangest Edsel Pacer, racing Corvettes and 10 automotive missteps

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. -- The Edsel didn't win many style awards as a passenger car, but how do you feel about it as a piece of heavy construction equipment?