1952-53 Mercury Dome Light Lamp / Lens New 716 on 2040-parts.com

Behind The Scenes: Hot Wheels Design Studio [w/Video]

Hot Wheels' vice president of design Felix Holst has spent some time chatting to Cool Hunting about the brand's design philosophy at its Design Studio at Mattel's headquarters in El Segundo, California, in a new video. According to Holst Hot Wheels has evolved from being focused on muscle cars and V8 engines to being all about technology as a reflection of the new generation they're designing for.  He explains the benefits of designing over 240 vehicles a year that aren't limited by rules and regulations, saying in a studio that's driven by pushing the boundaries, it's a question of just how wild they can get.  The video really captures not only the men's passion for their jobs but the fun they have doing it. Small wonder Holst says he'd never go back to car design, and reveals the studio is packed with qualified car designers who chose Hot Wheels over conventional jobs in the industry.  We also hear from Hot Wheels Car Maker's designer Julian Payne, who explains how the new Car Maker – which gives you the chance to mold your own custom Hot Wheels at home – works.

GM wants to wrap up Opel sale quickly

General Motors is anxious to wrap up the sale of Opel, a top executive said Tuesday. The bidding has been narrowed to Canadian auto parts conglomerate Magna--which is favored by the German government--and Belgian investors RHJ International. "I think everyone is anxious to get this thing done," GM CFO Ray Young said, according to Automotive News.

Wheels and More offers upgrades for Ferrari 599, McLaren SLR

There's no shortage of tuner companies taking the fastest cars on the market and making them even faster. Now German tuner Wheels and More has done that with the McLaren SLR and the Ferrari 599 GTO. For the McLaren SLR and SLR 722, Wheels and More offers exterior upgrades including lightweight, forged wheels from 6Sporz.