1974 Volkswagen / Vw Beetle (bug) Sales Brochure /original Showroom Flyer on 2040-parts.com

80 mph speed limit: Idaho and Wyoming poised to be next

Idaho and Wyoming could soon see 80 mph speed limits introduced to a number of highways, joining Texas and Utah as the states with some of the fastest permitted passenger car-driving speeds, KMVT-TV in Idaho is reporting. A bill in Idaho would see some sections of interstates go from 75 mph to 80 mph, and other selected highways go from 65 mph to 70 mph, which are probably speeds that drivers are doing anyway in remote and not-so-remote parts of both states. But the Idaho Transportation Department did not lend its support to the bill even though it is given the authority to implement it.

17,000 solar panels to power Toyota’s Derbyshire plant

Toyota’s manufacturing plant at Burnaston in Derbyshire, where the Auris and Avensis are built, will install the biggest solar panel system yet seen in a UK car plant.  British Gas, which will stump up the £10 million cost of installing the solar panels, and Toyota are working together to save 2000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. Once the solar panels are installed, they claim it will save enough energy to build approximately 7000 cars a year.

Porsche Cayman Shooting Brake Fake +video

The fake Porsche Cayman Shooting Brake - rendered in Maya Turns out that it was all a bit of viral fun created by Jared Holstein, the outgoing editor of TopGear.com. He came up with the idea and got a bunch of Summer Interns in the States to do the donkey work. A digital design student called Matt DuVall used Maya (a digital 3D rendering programme) to create the original image (actually, I’ve been trying to master Maya for ever – must get some tips from Matt!) which incorporated lots of Porsche design themes, and even used a Porsche ‘Mule’ license plate.