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Enzo Ferrari died 25 years ago today

The word “Ferrari” is evocative enough as it is, but add “Enzo-era” to the mix and we imagine a very specific type of machine -- a vehicle that is raw, passionate, perhaps a bit prickly, but above all, utterly unique and irreplaceable. There's a reason Enzo-era Ferraris are magical: Enzo Ferrari himself. Born in 1898, Ferrari joined the Alfa Romeo racing team in 1920, established Scuderia Ferrari in 1929 and put his name on a V12-powered race car in 1947.

West Hollywood hires a robo-valet

West Hollywood, Calif.--where the valet guy can be just as much of a power broker as some big-shot producer--is going high-tech with its new parking garage. The Southern California city has enlisted Israeli company Unitronics to build a 200-car garage on Santa Monica Boulevard that will automatically park and retrieve cars. Think RoboValet.

European Parliament: electric cars must make noise

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a European Commission proposal to decrease the maximum allowed noise for new cars, vans, trucks, buses and coaches, in an effort to reduce “vehicle noise nuisance” by 25%. At the same time, the EU has voted in favour of a proposal to force carmakers to fit electric and hybrid electric vehicles with a sound generating device, to improve low speed safety for pedestrians and the visually impaired. On Bing: see pictures of electric cars Find out how much a used electric car costs on Auto Trader The proposed changes, which are expected to become law, would see new car noise levels reduced by four decibels, commercial vehicle noise levels reduced by three decibels.