1985 Oldsmobile Sales Brochure; Calais; Firenza; Firenza Cruiser; 28 Pgs on 2040-parts.com

Tesla takes a swipe at BMW & Audi

Tesla’s design boss, Franz von Holzhausen, says the BMW i3 is an IKEA car We’ve long been of the opinion that electric cars, certainly with the current levels of battery technology, can never be a replacement for an ICE car. But we do have soft spot for what Tesla are doing. That’s because Tesla has tackled the issues of electric cars in  the cleverest way possible by building a car (the Model S) that looks like a normal luxury car – rather than making it look odd or quirky just to ram home its difference – and made it travel a sensible distance on a single charge.

One Lap of the Web: Car creatures of the Hollywood Hills

-- Jay Leno, presumably back from filming McQueen's Jaguar XKSS, now places his chin atop the front seat of a 1925 Doble E-20, which, being steam-powered, fulfills Leno's interpretation of alt-fuel. Abner Doble built his first steam car while he was still in high school, and by 1915 the Doble Detroit had set new standards of reliability, convenience, noiselessness, and speed -- in 1925, Howard Hughes drove Leno's Model E to 132 mph. -- Los Angeles, car culture capital of the world, has its fair share of hipsters, eccentrics, airheads and Chrysler LeBarons.

Suzuki seeks end to partnership with Volkswagen

Suzuki Motor Corp. Chairman Osamu Suzuki on Monday said he plans to end his carmaker's turbulent two-year capital alliance with Volkswagen AG, citing concerns about independence and a dearth of technological exchanges and joint projects from the tie up. The spry, 81-year-old Suzuki executive compared the breakup to a divorce and said the two companies should "say goodbye with a smile" instead of trading bitter accusations.