1980 Yamaha Exciter 250 Solinoid on 2040-parts.com

College Exhibition: CCS Spring Show 2009

This year's CCS Senior Show provided another year of outstanding graduates while the automotive industry continues to retract due to the global financial crisis. Given all the negative news about auto bankruptcies and closures, it was refreshing to see such youthful, creative and challenging designs in a modern and hopeful environment. The projects on display ranged from militaristic Jeep off-road vehicles to a microvan for the ‘future family of two = single parent + only child'.

Mercedes AMG GT S hits the track in new HD video

The new Mercedes AMG GT S on track at Circuit of Americas The Mercedes AMG GT is the long-awaited replacement in the Mercedes range for the SLS AMG, but even though the new AMG GT (and GT S) offers performance almost the equivalent of the SLS, it’s price tag is a lot lower. In fact, at prices expected to start at around £100,000 – and an extra £10-15k for the GT S version – the new AMG GT is at least a third cheaper than the SLS, and aimed at cars like the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type rather than the stratospheric supercars the SLS had in its sights. That also means Mercedes AMG are going to have to sell a chunk more GTs than they ever did SLS models, so you can expect more promos and more profile for the AMG GT than you’d ever have seen for the modest-run SLS – like the latest Mercedes has just released (below).

Honda introduces GEAR concept in Montreal

We already know that Europe often gets better cars than we do in the United States, but now Canada is getting in on the action, too. At the press days of the Montreal International Auto Show, the Japanese company introduced the Honda GEAR Concept. The car is reportedly inspired by fixed-gear bicycles -- gag me with a spoon -- and Honda says it's simple, utilitarian, but also customizable.